Turkey: Islamic State militants and police officers killed in clash Submitted by Fleur Hargreaves on Mon, 12/29/2025 - 10:58 Turkish officials said the clash in the northwestern province of Yavlova happened during 'counterterrorism operations' The wounded arrive at a hospital in Yalova after police fought with Islamic State fighters at a house they were suspected of hiding in on 29 December (AFP/Demiroren News Agency) Off A gun battle between Turkish security forces and members of the Islamic State (IS) left six militants and three police officers dead, according to officials. Ali Yerlikaya, Turkey’s interior minister, said in a statement that the operation was part of the country's ongoing counterterrorism efforts. Police launched the raid early on Monday morning, targeting a house believed to contain the Islamic State fighters. Officials said five women and six children were evacuated from the property and that the police officers died when the Islamic State fighters opened fire on them. The clashes lasted nearly eight hours, according to a Reuters witness. At least eight police officers and one security guard were also wounded in the gunfight. The fighting comes after Turkey detained 115 suspects on Christmas day in connection with an Islamic State plot to target New Year’s celebrations. Primary target Last Thursday's raids took place across 124 locations in Istanbul, according to a statement made by the city chief prosecutor’s office. Officers seized firearms, ammunition and “organisational documents”, claiming to have arrested individuals involved in financing the group’s activities and spreading its propaganda. Syria: Kurdish authorities release 180 Islamic State-linked prisoners in Hasakah Read More » This operation marks the latest phase in Turkey’s efforts against the armed group, which it declared a terrorist organisation in 2013. Turkey was previously attacked by Islamic State fighters in Istanbul during the early hours of New Year's Day in 2017. In that attack, at least 39 people were killed. Turkey has since emerged as a primary target for Islamic State activity, as it shares a long border with Syria , where the group maintains a presence. According to figures from the Turkish state, 19,000 individuals have been arrested between 2013 and 2023 for alleged affiliations with the group. Thursday’s arrests came just five days after US forces launched extensive air strikes against IS targets in Syria in response to the killing of two American soldiers and an interpreter in Palmyra on 13 December. US President Donald Trump said in a post on TruthSocial that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was "fully in support" of the US response. Syria’s new government under President al-Sharaa pledged to work with US and European allies to clamp down on remaining Islamic State operatives. The group was soundly defeated after attempting to establish a "caliphate" in Syria and Iraq, but remnants have reemerged since the collapse of the Assad dynasty in order to destabilise the Sharaa government that replaced it. On Wednesday, Syria’s Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of a leading IS figure. The following day Syrian authorities said security forces carried out a second raid near Damascus, where a senior IS commander was killed. Islamic State News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0