On December 29th, Turkish police engaged in a firefight with ISIS terrorists in the northwestern part of the country, resulting in the deaths of 3 police officers and 6 terrorists being killed. Prior to this incident, Turkey had arrested over 100 ISIS terrorist suspects, accusing them of planning terrorist attacks during the Christmas and New Year period.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated in a press conference that the operation lasted for about 7 hours, during which 6 terrorists were killed. He expressed, “Unfortunately, due to the despicable attack by the other side, we lost 3 brave police officers, and 8 police officers and one security official were injured.”
He mentioned that there were women and children inside the house where the terrorists were hiding, so the police conducted a precision operation to ensure the evacuation of 5 women and 6 children from the residence.
According to reports from local Turkish NTV television, in the early hours of Monday, Turkish police conducted a search on a residence where ISIS terrorists were hiding in a village in Yalova province in southern Istanbul. Armed individuals inside the house exchanged fire with the police. Special forces were also deployed from the neighboring Bursa province to provide support.
The injured police officers were taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
During the operation, the roads leading to the house were blocked off by the police, and pictures from the scene depicted thick smoke rising. Five nearby schools were closed on that day, December 29th.
On December 25th, Turkish authorities announced that raids were conducted at 124 locations, leading to the arrest of 115 ISIS suspects, with 22 suspects still on the run.
The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office revealed that the police had information that these suspects were planning attacks against non-Muslims within Turkey during the Christmas and New Year period.
ISIS had conducted terrorist activities within Turkey, especially between 2013 and 2017, targeting tourist areas, public places, and security forces, resulting in nearly 300 deaths. The Turkish government has designated ISIS as a terrorist organization.
On July 20, 2015, a 17-year-old ISIS member carried out a suicide bombing near the Syrian border in Turkey, causing 32 deaths and over 100 injuries.
On October 1, 2015, a dual suicide bombing took place in the Turkish capital Ankara, resulting in 102 deaths and over 500 injuries. ISIS claimed responsibility for this attack, which was the deadliest terrorist attack in the country’s history.
In January and March 2016, ISIS launched consecutive attacks on tourist areas and shopping centers in Istanbul, Turkey’s second-largest city, resulting in 16 deaths, including 10 foreign tourists.
In June 2016, ISIS attacked Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul, causing 45 deaths and over 200 injuries.
In August 2016, a 14-year-old ISIS child soldier carried out a suicide bombing at a wedding celebration in Gaziantep, leading to 54 deaths, including 12 children, and over 100 injuries.