Two chinese citizens held over Istanbul nightclub attack

Two Chinese citizens have been remanded in custody by a Turkish court over their alleged links to a deadly gun attack on an Istanbul nightclub.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency on Friday named the two suspects as Omar Asim and Abuliezi Abuduhamiti.

They are accused of membership of an "armed terror organisation" and of assisting in 39 counts of first-degree murder.

A gunman killed 39 people at Istanbul's Reina nightclub, a smart venue by the Bosphorus where scores of people had gathered to celebrate the New Year.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility, saying the attack was a reprisal for Turkish military operations in northern Syria.

Last week a Turkish official said the gunman was probably from China's Muslim Uighur minority.