Erdogan says Istanbul nightclub attack aims to divide Turkish nation

In his first address to the nation after the attack, Erdogan calls for unity in the fight against terrorism.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to the nation from Ankara on January 4, 2017.
TRT World and Agencies

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to the nation from Ankara on January 4, 2017.

​Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that the attack at an Istanbul nightclub on New Year's Day was a deliberate attempt to divide the nation, targeting people's way of life, but the country won't fall for this game.

Making his first public address to the nation since the mass shooting, Erdogan called on the Turkish people to stay strong and united in the fight against terrorism.

"There is no point trying to blame the Ortakoy attack on differences in lifestyles," Erdogan said in a live speech from Ankara.

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The attack, claimed by Daesh, killed 39 people and injured 69 others at the Reina nightclub in Istanbul's Ortakoy district on Sunday.

TRT World's Hasan Abdullah has more details.

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