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CrimeTurkey

Turkey: 9 dead in police raid on 'Islamic State' group

Richard Connor with AP, Reuters
December 29, 2025

The Turkish Interior Ministry mourned the loss of thee security force members as police moved in on a suspected hideout. Six Islamist militants were reported to have been killed in the operation.

Police officers block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house
The house was believed to contain suspected 'Islamic State' militantsImage: Umit Bektas/REUTERS

Turkey's interior minister said three police officers and six members of the "Islamic State" (IS) militant group were killed on Monday during a clash in northwest Turkey.

The operation follows nationwide raids last week in which police detained 115 suspected militants accused of planning attacks around Christmas and New Year's celebrations.

What do we know about the gunfight?

A gunfight broke out in Yalova, south of Istanbul, as police stormed a house where the militants were believed to be hiding.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said eight other police officers and a night guard were wounded during the operation.

Security forces dispatched special units from the neighboring province of Bursa as the operation spread into streets, prompting heightened security measures.

Private broadcaster NTV reported that five schools in the area were closed for the day, while authorities cut natural gas and electricity supplies as a precaution and barred civilians and vehicles from entering the neighborhood.

Special forces were deployed to the operation, which had been focused on a suspected IS hideoutImage: Umit Bektas/REUTERS

State news agency Anadolu reported that none of the wounded police officers were in serious condition.

IS has called for action during the holiday period, particularly against non-Muslims, officials said.

The extremist group has carried out several deadly attacks in Turkey in recent years. These included a shooting at an Istanbul nightclub during New Year celebrations on January 1, 2017, that killed 39 people.

Edited by: Farah Bahgat

Richard Connor Reporting on stories from around the world, with a particular focus on Europe — especially Germany.
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