Türkiye's Nationwide Crackdown: Three Police, Six ISIS Militants Killed in Early-Morning Raids
Three Turkish police officers and six ISIS militants were killed during clashes in Yalova amid simultaneous raids at 108 locations across Türkiye, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Gunfire erupted in the pre-dawn hours in northwestern Türkiye as security forces moved in on ISIS targets, leaving three police officers dead and multiple others wounded during a nationwide counterterrorism operation, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
Three Turkish police officers were killed and nine other people wounded on Monday during an operation against the ISIS group in the city of Yalova on the Sea of Marmara, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.
The clashes occurred during one of dozens of coordinated raids targeting ISIS, with Yerlikaya confirming that six ISIS members were killed in Yalova.
“Three of our courageous police unfortunately lost their lives. Eight police and a security agent were also wounded,” the minister said.
Yerlikaya stated that “simultaneous operations” were carried out at 108 addresses across fifteen provinces, including the Yalova raid, which began at 2:00 a.m. (2300 GMT Sunday).
“During this operation, ISIS terrorists opened fire on our courageous police,” he added.
According to the minister, all six ISIS operatives killed were Turkish nationals. He said that five women and six children who were with them were evacuated safely.
President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan paid tribute to the fallen officers, saying, “We are pursuing our fight against bloodthirsty criminals who threaten the peace of our nation and the security of our state, both inside and outside our borders, in a determined, multi-pronged and intractable fashion.”
An Istanbul prosecutor last week ordered the detention of 137 suspected ISIS members after receiving information that the group was planning attacks during the end-of-year holidays.
Türkiye shares a 900-kilometer border with Syria and remains wary of cross-border infiltration by militants. ISIS was recently accused of killing two American soldiers and an interpreter in Palmyra, Syria.
Turkish intelligence also announced last week the arrest of a suspected ISIS leader “between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” saying he was planning suicide attacks in the region and in Europe.
The deadly Yalova operation underscores the continuing security challenge posed by ISIS, as Turkish authorities intensify nationwide efforts to disrupt the group’s networks and prevent planned attacks.