Turkish authorities announced on Wednesday they had identified the gunman who killed 39 people in an Istanbul nightclub on New Year's Day.
Turkey's foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, did not offer details regarding the attacker's identity, the Guardian reported. Turkish authorities said the gunman is still at large.
Police detained at least five suspected Islamic State militants on Wednesday during an operation in the Aegean port city of Izmir, according to state-run media. The terrorist group on Monday claimed responsibility for the attack at the exclusive Reina nightclub, calling it retaliation for Turkish military operations against its fighters.
The gunman shot dead a police officer and a civilian at the entrance to the upscale Reina nightclub on early Sunday before opening fire on patrons. Most of those killed in the attack were foreigners primarily from Middle Eastern nations.
Turkish media reported on Tuesday that police suspected the gunman is 28-year-old Kyrgyz national Iakhe Mashrapov. Authorities said the assailant crossed into Turkey from bordering Syria with his wife and two children in November.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the attack was intended to "create a fissure" in the nation.
"We will stand tall and keep our sangfroid," Erdogan said. "No-one's lifestyle in Turkey is under a systematic threat. We would never let this happen. In 14 years in power, we have never given this a chance."