ISIS Militants Claim Lives of 3 Police Officers in Turkey
A Turkish police operation targeting a suspected safe house for Islamic State militants resulted in armed confrontations early Monday that led to the deaths of three police officers and six militants, according to the interior minister of Turkey. The operation commenced prior to dawn in Yalova, a district situated in northwestern Turkey, south of Istanbul, and was part of a larger initiative this month to crack down on suspected militants throughout the nation, reported Minister Ali Yerlikaya. The terrorist organization known as Islamic State, or ISIS, previously controlled extensive territories in Syria and Iraq—both bordering Turkey—and has been responsible for inciting attacks worldwide. Although the group lost its final territorial stronghold in Syria in 2019, it continues to function on a reduced scale in various regions of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Attacks by ISIS within Turkey have become exceedingly uncommon in recent years, and the government has proclaimed periodic arrests of individuals associated with the group. “We will persist in our battle against those with bloodied hands who jeopardize the tranquility of our nation and the safety of our state both within our borders and beyond,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed on social media. Mr. Yerlikaya noted that the Yalova operation was among more than 100 actions taken against the organization on Monday across 15 provinces in Turkey. Following police arrival at the location, the militants began shooting, as mentioned by the minister. Security personnel managed to evacuate five women and six children from the premises and secured the area by cutting off gas and electricity supplies. In addition to the three police officers who lost their lives, nine security personnel sustained injuries, as noted by the minister. The militants killed were all identified as Turkish. Footage broadcasted by the network NTV displayed a two-story building with its upper level scorched. Neighbors informed the channel that what seemed to be a large family, including women and children, had resided in the house and had limited interactions with those nearby. Yilmaz Tunc, the justice minister, announced on social media that prosecutors were conducting an investigation into the incident and that five suspects had been taken into custody.
Published: 2025-12-29 14:19:00
source: www.nytimes.com
