ISTANBUL, Turkey – Istanbul marked the end of 2017 with a ceremony to commemorate the victims of the Reina nightclub shooting at last year's New Year's Eve celebrations that claimed the life of 39 people, including three Kurds from the Kurdistan Region.
The ceremony began on Sunday afternoon with dozens of people holding carnations who gathered outside the nightclub to pay respect to the victims.
The mourners also observed a moment of silence in front of portraits of those killed and a list of the victim's names. Families of the victims also came to pay their respects and remember their loved ones.
Local officials and foreign delegates attended the memorial service of the 39 people who lost their lives that night in which 27 were foreigners.
The attack carried out at Reina nightclub happened just 75 minutes into 2017 and left 39 people dead, including three Kurds.
Ahmed Hussein, a Kurdish citizen killed in the attack, visited Istanbul three days before the New Year. He had a cafeteria for two years before he moved to start a new business with his father.
Saad Mohammed, a Kurd from Syria, was working in the cafeteria formerly owned by Ahmed.
"It is because of Ahmed that my friends and I continue our jobs here. He was a modest man. He was friendly with us. We are sorry he is gone," Mohammed told Rudaw after the killings.
Besides those who died, another 79 people suffered from injuries.
Security measures were to be doubled in Istanbul's Beyoglu district for 2018 New Year's celebrations, with a full ban placed on Taksim Square following last year's massacre.
The attacker, Abdulgadir Mashiripov, a 34-year old Uzbek citizen, opened fire in the packed night club in the early hours of January 1 and was captured after 15 days on the run in Istanbul's Esenyurt district.
He confessed to the shootings and told prosecutors he was instructed by ISIS leaders to carry out the attack.
This was the first time ISIS publicly claimed responsibility for an attack carried out in Turkey since the militant group rose to power in 2014.
The trial is still underway for Masharipov along with another 51 suspects "accused of aiding and abetting him."
Masharipov faces up to 40 life sentences for murders, one for each person killed and another for the massacre itself.
The club has been closed since January 1, 2017.
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