ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish gendarmerie and special‑operations police patrolled the streets on Monday after seven police officers were wounded in a clash with suspected Islamic State militants in northwest Turkey, a Reuters witness and state media said. Turkish interior minister said six Islamic State militants were killed in operation.
Sporadic gunfire could be heard at the scene of the clash in Yalova province, south of Istanbul on the Sea of Marmara coast, where police teams launched an overnight operation at a house believed to contain militants, the witness said.
Police sealed off the road approaching the house and one officer said the operation was still under way, the witness added. Smoke rose from a nearby fire and a police helicopter flew overhead, with several ambulances and fire engines in attendance.
Turkish police last week detained 115 suspected Islamic State members they said were planning to carry out attacks on Christmas and New Year celebrations in the country.
Almost a decade ago, the jihadist group was blamed for a series of attacks on civilian targets in Turkey, including a gun attack on an Istanbul nightclub and on the city's main airport, that killed dozens of people.