Six Islamic State militants and three police officers were killed during a clash in northwest Turkey

According to Rokna, citing NBC News, the confrontation took place in the Elmali district of Yalova province, south of Istanbul, when security forces raided a house where the militants were believed to be hiding. During the operation, an exchange of gunfire broke out.

Special operations units from the neighboring province of Bursa were sent to support the police on the ground.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the Yalova operation was part of a broader nationwide security campaign, describing it as one of more than 100 simultaneous raids targeting Islamic State suspects across 15 provinces.

He said the operation was conducted with “extreme caution” because women and children were present inside the house. Five women and six children were safely evacuated without injury.

Yerlikaya told reporters that all of the militants involved in the clash were Turkish citizens.

The raid began at approximately 2 a.m. local time and officially concluded at 9:40 a.m., the minister added.

As the confrontation extended into nearby streets, authorities temporarily closed five schools in the area for the day, according to private broadcaster NTV.

Officials also cut electricity and natural gas supplies as a precautionary measure, while restricting civilian and vehicle access to the neighborhood.

Last week, Turkish police carried out dozens of coordinated raids, detaining 115 suspected members of the extremist group who were allegedly plotting attacks during Christmas and New Year celebrations. Authorities said the group had urged violence, particularly against non-Muslims, during the holiday period.

Islamic State has been responsible for several deadly attacks in Turkey in recent years, including a mass shooting at an Istanbul nightclub during New Year celebrations on January 1, 2017, which left 39 people dead.