ALBAWABA- Seven Turkish police officers were wounded during a shootout with suspected Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Yalova province, northwest Turkey, during a counterterrorism raid early Monday, authorities said.
The clash erupted when security forces raided a residence believed to be sheltering ISIS suspects.
According to officials, the suspects opened fire as police approached, triggering an exchange of gunfire. Special operations units were dispatched to the scene to secure the area. No civilian casualties were reported, and none of the suspects were killed during the operation.
The injured officers were taken to hospital, where their conditions were reported as stable. An investigation into the suspects’ affiliations and activities is ongoing.
The incident comes amid intensified Turkish security operations against ISIS. Just days earlier, on December 25, Turkish authorities detained 115 suspected ISIS members in coordinated nationwide raids aimed at disrupting alleged attack plots during the holiday period.
Turkey has maintained heightened counterterrorism measures since a wave of ISIS attacks between 2015 and 2017 killed hundreds across the country.
Ankara remains concerned about renewed threats linked to developments in neighboring Syria, where ISIS cells continue to operate despite the group’s territorial defeat in 2019.
Following the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Turkish officials have warned of increased risks stemming from prison breaks and the movement of extremist fighters across borders.
Turkey maintains a military presence in northern Syria as part of its efforts to counter ISIS and address broader security challenges along its southern frontier.
