At least three policemen and six fighters of the Islamic State were killed in a clash with the police in northwestern Turkey on Monday. According to reports, eight other police officers and a night guard were injured.
The shooting occurred in the Elmali district of Yalova province, south of Istanbul, when police raided a house where the militants were hiding.
Special forces were dispatched from the neighboring province of Bursa to reinforce the operation.
Operation against IS suspects
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the operation in Yalova was one of more than a hundred simultaneous raids against IS suspects in 15 provinces across the country, the AP reported.
The operation in Yalova was carried out with “great care” because there were women and children in the house where the gunmen were, Yerlikaya said. All five women and six children were safely evacuated from the house, he said.
All the militants were Turkish nationals, the minister told reporters.
The operation began around 2:00 a.m. local time and was officially completed at 9:40 a.m., he added.
Schools closed; natural gas, electricity supply interrupted
As the confrontation spilled into the streets, five schools in the area were closed for the day, private news station NTV reported earlier.
Authorities also cut off natural gas and electricity supplies as a precaution, while civilians and vehicles were barred from entering the district, the report said.
Last week, police launched dozens of simultaneous raids and arrested 115 militants from an extremist group who were said to be planning attacks targeting Christmas and New Year celebrations. Officials said the group called for action during the celebrations, particularly against non-Muslims.
IS has carried out a series of deadly attacks in Turkey in recent years, including a shooting at an Istanbul nightclub during New Year’s celebrations on January 1, 2017, that killed 39 people.
