Tourists visiting Istanbul are vulnerable to terror attacks. The New Year celebrations started in the right spirits and in the melee panicky stricken people ran here and there to avoid impending danger. Police in riot gear and machine guns backed up by armoured vehicle blocked the area close to the Reina night club, one of the most popular night spots in Istanbul amid heavy rain. Several ambulances flashing blue lights arrived on the scene, some taking wounded to hospitals. The attack occurred shortly after midnight in the club where an estimated 600 people celebrated New Year’s eve. Several shocked revellers were seen fleeing the scene after the attack and the music fell silent. The club is located close to recent suicide attacks that killed dozens near a soccer stadium. Istanbul had already been under heavy security surveillance during the festivities, with police mounting machine guns and armoured vehicles parked on the streets. The present attack is alarming and raises question marks over the safety of tourists visiting Istanbul.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
