Turkish police apprehended the suspect behind the mass shooting of 39 people at the popular Reina nightclub in Istanbul, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said at a press briefing Tuesday.

Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said the Uzbek national confessed to committing the attack, adding that he entered the country illegally.

"He was trained in Afghanistan and can speak four languages. He's a well-trained terrorist," Sahin said.

Authorities have been searching for Abdulgadir Masharipov, code named Abu Muhammed Horasani, for more than two weeks, after he fled the scene of the attack.

"Haber Turk" reported Masharipov was captured in a security operation in the district of Esenyurt, located on the outskirts of Istanbul near the city's main Ataturk airport.

Masharipov had $197,000 (185,000 euros), two weapons and clips in his possession when they raided his apartment, police said.

The manhunt raised questions about whether Masharipov was still in Turkey or had fled the country.

Pictures of the captured suspect on Turkish media showed his face badly bruised and bleeding. The suspect was taken to police headquarters for questioning and underwent a medical exam, Turkish media reported.

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Further arrests

In addition to Masharipov, four other people - including one male Kyrgyz national - were taken into custody. Authorities said the apartment belonged to the Kyrgyz national. The three others arrested were women from Senegal, Egypt and Somalia.

The suspected attacker's four-year-old child was also taken into protective custody. Masharipov's wife and toddler were previously taken into custody.

Monday night's raid on the apartment was part of simultaneous operations against other suspected terror cells in which "a large number" of people were arrested, Anatolia reported.

An unidentified suspect has also been arrested alongside the attacker

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Twitter thanked police and intelligence services for capturing the Reina club attacker.

The "Islamic State" (IS) group claimed credit for the Reina attack, which killed 39 people, including 27 foreign tourists. IS said it carried out the attack in retaliation for Turkey's intervention in Syria to fight the group.

At the beginning of the investigation, there had been conflicting reports about Masharipov's nationality. Turkish media reported him as a native of Uzbekistan, but other reports said he was an ethnic Uyghur Muslim from China's far western region of Xinjiang or possibly from Kyrgyzstan.

Nearly 40 people have been arrested in connection with the attack, believed to be part of a larger Central Asian network of jihadists tied to IS.

IS has been behind a number of terror attacks in Turkey over the past two years, including one last June on Ataturk airport that killed more than 45 people. A Caucasian and Central Asian IS cell was believed to be behind that attack.

What is the 'Islamic State'? Where did it come from? The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.

What is the 'Islamic State'? Where does it operate? IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.

What is the 'Islamic State'? Who is fighting back? The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.

What is the 'Islamic State'? How does it fund itself? One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.

What is the 'Islamic State'? Where does it carry out attacks? IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.

What is the 'Islamic State'? What other tactics does it use? The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.

What is the 'Islamic State'? How has it impacted the region? IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild. Author: Rachel Stewart



ls, cw/gsw (Reuters, dpa, AP)