Turkey detains nine over attack near Israeli consulate

Turkish authorities detained nine people as part of an investigation into an attack on police outside the building where the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul is located, which resulted in the death of one attacker, Türkiye’s state news agency reported.

Two other attackers were injured and captured, and two police officers were slightly injured in the clash that broke out in the city’s financial and commercial district on Tuesday, authorities said.

Shortly after the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, Israel withdrew its diplomats from Türkiye due to security concerns and deteriorating relations with the country’s officials. Officials said the consulate was closed at the time of the attack.

Minister of Internal Affairs Mustafa Çiftçi said that one of the attackers was affiliated with a group that he said “exploited religion” without naming him.

The Islamic State group has carried out deadly attacks in Türkiye in the past.

Anadolu Agency reported that security forces detained 9 suspects in operations carried out in Konya and Kocaeli provinces as well as Istanbul.

They were questioned along with two wounded attackers, the agency said, without providing further details.

The couple said that the attackers came from Kocaeli’s Izmit district with a rented car.

It was learned that the two injured attackers were brothers named Onur C and Enes C.

The first one has a drug-related criminal record.

Israel’s foreign ministry condemned the attack on Tuesday and praised Turkish officials for preventing further violence.