An armed attack killed at least 39 people and injured 69 -- four of them critically --at an Istanbul nightclub early Sunday, the interior minister said.
Suleyman Soylu told reporters that 21 victims have been identified.
"16 of the victims are foreigners while the other five are Turkish citizens," the minister said, adding that efforts continue to identify the other 18 bodies.
Soylu said police forces were hunting down the terrorist.
"Our law enforcement has launched an operation. We hope he or she will be caught before long," he said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed deep sadness over the attack, according to government sources, and received updates from Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Governor Sahin on the casualties as well as the details of the terrorist act.
