Official says 6 Islamic State militants, 3 police officers killed in clash in northwest Turkey
ANKARA, Türkiye (AP) — Türkiye’s interior minister said Islamic State militants clashed with police in northwestern Türkiye on Monday, killing three police officers and six militants. At least eight police officers and a night watchman were also injured.
The conflict took place when the police raided the house where the militants were hiding in the Elmalı district of Yalova, south of Istanbul.
Special forces were dispatched from the neighboring province of Bursa to reinforce the operation.
According to private news channel NTV, five schools in the region were closed for a day as the conflict spread to the streets. While the authorities also cut off natural gas and electricity cuts as a precaution, civilians and vehicles were banned from entering the neighborhood.
Last week, police carried out several simultaneous raids. Detention of 115 militants of the extremist group It is claimed that they were planning attacks targeting Christmas and New Year celebrations. The group specifically called for action against non-Muslims during the celebrations, officials said.
ISIS has carried out a series of deadly attacks in Türkiye in recent years; these include an armed attack on a nightclub in Istanbul. New Year celebrations on January 1, 2017The incident that killed 39 people.
