Six Islamic State (IS) militants and three police officers died in a fierce clash in northwest Turkey on Monday, Turkey’s interior minister reported. At least eight other police officers and a night guard sustained injuries during the operation.
Security forces raided a house in the Elmali district of Yalova province, south of Istanbul, where they believed the militants were hiding. As the situation escalated, special forces units from neighboring Bursa province joined the operation.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said police conducted the Yalova raid as part of more than 100 coordinated operations across 15 provinces targeting IS suspects. He added that officers carried out the operation carefully because women and children were inside the house. Authorities safely evacuated all five women and six children. The minister confirmed that all the militants killed were Turkish nationals. Officials said the operation began around 2:00 a.m. local time and concluded at 9:40 a.m.
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Clash Between Police and IS Militants in Yalova Province
The Yalova Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched a formal investigation into the incident. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced on social media platform X that five prosecutors are leading the probe. Authorities have taken five individuals into custody, though they did not release further details about the suspects.
As the confrontation spread into nearby streets, officials closed five schools for the day. They also cut off natural gas and electricity supplies temporarily and barred civilians and vehicles from entering the neighborhood as a precaution.
The clash occurs amid heightened security measures across Turkey. Last week, police detained 115 IS suspects in nationwide raids who allegedly planned attacks targeting Christmas and New Year celebrations, particularly against non-Muslims.
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