Raid on ISIS Cell in Türkiye Leaves Three Police Dead, Nine Wounded
Three Turkish police officers were killed and nine other injured in a clash with ISIS suspects in Yalova during a raid, part of a broader crackdown on holiday terror plots.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Three Turkish police officers were killed and nine other people wounded in an operation on Monday during an armed confrontation with suspected members of the Islamic State in northwestern Türkiye, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, as security forces intensified operations across the country to disrupt potential plots targeting year-end holiday celebrations.
The clash occurred in Yalova province, located on the Sea of Marmara, where police launched a targeted counterterrorism operation against the extremist group, also known as Daesh. According to security sources cited by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), the violence erupted when officers attempted to raid a residence situated on the road to Elmalik village, near the city center of Yalova.
According to the Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, said that six Islamic State members were also killed; the six IS operatives killed were all Turkish and five women and six children who were with them were all evacuated safely.
As police units moved to secure the location, they encountered resistance, leading to a physical confrontation. The raid resulted in death of three and injury of nine officers involved in the initial breach.
Authorities initially confirmed to the Anadolu Agency that the injured personnel were immediately evacuated from the scene and transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. Medical officials since reported that the officers are in good condition, and their injuries are not considered life-threatening.
The intensity of the resistance encountered at the site prompted a significant escalation in the security response. Security sources reported that special operations units were dispatched from the nearby province of Bursa to reinforce the local police and support the ongoing operation.
The Anadolu Agency noted on Monday morning that the operation was still active and continuing under tight security measures, with the area around Elmalik village cordoned off as forces worked to neutralize the threat.
This violent confrontation in Yalova represents the latest kinetic engagement in a sweeping security crackdown initiated by Turkish authorities in the days leading up to the New Year. The raid follows a massive dragnet conducted earlier in the week in Istanbul, aimed at dismantling Islamic State cells suspected of planning attacks during the holiday period.
On Thursday, December 25, the Istanbul prosecutor general’s office announced the arrest of 115 alleged members of the Islamic State group.
According to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the prosecutor had issued detention orders for a total of 137 individuals following the receipt of specific intelligence.
The prosecutor’s office stated that the intelligence indicated the "IS terrorist organisation was planning attacks during Christmas and New Year celebrations," prompting a preemptive law enforcement mobilization to secure the metropolis.
The geographic scope of the threat and the subsequent Turkish response highlights the persistent danger posed by jihadist networks operating within and along the borders of the country.
Türkiye shares a 900-kilometer (559-mile) border with Syria, a frontier that remains a critical focal point for regional security due to the continued activity of jihadist groups in the neighboring war-torn nation.
The urgency of the current security posture in Türkiye is partially informed by recent surges in Islamic State violence in the broader region.
Washington recently attributed a deadly attack in Palmyra, Syria, to a lone Islamic State gunman. That incident, which occurred on December 13, resulted in the deaths of two United States soldiers and an American civilian, underscoring the group's continued lethality and ability to target coalition interests.
In response to these transnational threats, Turkish intelligence services have expanded their operational reach well beyond the immediate Syrian border region. In a significant development reported by AFP this week, Türkiye's intelligence agency conducted a long-range operation on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area.
This extraterritorial mission resulted in the capture of a Turkish national, identified as Mehmet Goren, whom authorities allege held a senior role within the Islamic State hierarchy.
Following his capture on the Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier, Mr. Goren was transferred to Türkiye to face charges. At the time of his arrest, he was accused of organizing suicide attacks targeting civilians across a vast geographic theater, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Türkiye, and Europe.
The apprehension of a figure allegedly central to the group's external operations wing suggests that Turkish authorities are actively working to sever the links between leadership nodes in South Asia and operational cells within Türkiye and Europe.
The coincidence of the high-level capture of Mr. Goren, the mass detentions in Istanbul, and the violent raid in Yalova illustrates a multi-front effort by Ankara to inoculate the country against extremist violence as 2026 approaches.
The Istanbul prosecutor’s disclosure that 137 people were targeted in the holiday plot investigation indicates that a significant number of suspects—approximately 22 individuals—remained at large following the initial wave of 115 arrests on Thursday.
It remains unclear from official statements whether the cell targeted in Yalova on Monday was directly linked to the list of suspects sought by the Istanbul prosecutor general, or if it represented a separate strand of the intelligence picture.
As the operation in Yalova continued into Monday, the deployment of Bursa-based special forces suggested that authorities were preparing for a potentially prolonged standoff or were securing a wider perimeter to prevent the escape of any suspects remaining in the Elmalik village area.
The condition of the injured officers remained stable as of the last update provided by security sources.
The confluence of domestic raids and cross-border intelligence operations reflects the high alert status of the Turkish security apparatus.
With the New Year holiday imminent, the government appears determined to preempt any attempts by the Islamic State to stage high-profile attacks similar to those that have struck the country in past years.
The confrontation in Yalova serves as a grim reminder of the active presence of armed militant cells within the country's northwest, an area that serves as a vital transit and industrial hub.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the suspects targeted in the Yalova house raid, nor have they specified the number of militants believed to be inside the residence.
The Anadolu Agency’s report emphasized that the operation remains ongoing, with further details expected to emerge as the special operations units complete their objectives in the area.
This article was updated on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, at 01:13pm, adding the death toll to the report.
This article was updated again, adding new information about death toll, on Monday Dec. 29, 2025, at 02:20pm.