Daijiworld Media Network - Istanbul
Istanbul, Dec 29: Seven Turkish police officers were injured during a shootout while carrying out an operation against alleged Islamic State (ISIS) operatives in Turkiye’s Yalova province, local media reported on Sunday.
According to state broadcaster TRT Haber, the incident occurred during a police raid at a residence in Elmalik village, located south of Istanbul, when the suspects opened fire, triggering an exchange of gunfire. The injured officers were reported to be out of danger. It was not immediately clear whether any suspects were injured or taken into custody.
Special forces from neighbouring Bursa province were rushed to the spot to support the operation and enforce additional security measures. Authorities sealed off the area surrounding the targeted house, restricting entry of local residents and vehicles. As a precautionary measure, the Yalova governorate also suspended classes at five nearby schools.
The incident comes amid an intensified nationwide crackdown on ISIS. On Thursday, Turkish authorities said coordinated raids were carried out at 124 locations across the country, resulting in the arrest of 115 suspected ISIS members.
The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office said intelligence inputs indicated that ISIS operatives were planning attacks in Turkiye during the holiday season, particularly targeting non-Muslim communities.
Turkiye, which shares a long border with Syria, has stepped up counter-terrorism operations in recent years, especially after ISIS lost territorial control in parts of Iraq and Syria in 2019. Authorities believe several ISIS operatives relocated to Turkiye following the group’s defeat in the region.
Earlier this month, the US military conducted extensive airstrikes on ISIS positions in central and northeastern Syria, targeting over 70 locations. The strikes followed an attack in the Syrian city of Palmyra that killed two US soldiers and an interpreter.
According to official data, Turkish authorities arrested over 19,000 individuals for suspected links to ISIS between 2013 and 2023. In March this year alone, nearly 300 suspected ISIS members were detained during raids conducted across 47 provinces over a two-week period.