Turkey Vows To Fight To The End Against Terror Groups

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 (Bernama) -- Turkey, which suffered a terror attack that left at least 39 people dead early Sunday, has vowed to fight to the end against terror groups and their backers. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey "is firm on doing whatever it takes to protect its citizens' safety and peace in the region". The vicious attack clearly showed that terror did not discriminate but aimed to hurt and kill and that those who attacked "people's peace aim to create chaos," he said in a statement made available to Bernama by the Office of the Press Counsellor of the Turkish embassy here. A police officer and foreigners were among the dead in the terror attack at an Istanbul nightclub that also left 69 other people injured. "I offer my condolences to our citizens, to our foreign guests and to our security officer's families and wish a speedy recovery to those injured," Erdogan said. The attack had come three weeks after the twin bombings in Istanbul which killed at least 45 people, most of whom were police officers. Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey would not be discouraged by terror. "We will not let terror harm our nation’s unity and brotherhood. We will not be intimidated by terror," he said after visiting the injured at a hospital in Istanbul. Yildirim also brushed aside allegations that the terrorist was dressed as Santa Claus, saying that it was groundless. He was an armed terrorist, he said. -- BERNAMA