Violence in Turkey leaves at least nine dead
istanbul» Two female assailants opened fire at the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul on Monday and at least six Turkish security forces were killed elsewhere in a day of heavy violence in Turkey, where a government crackdown has targeted Islamic State militants, Kurdish rebels and far-left extremists.
Turkey has seen a sharp spike in clashes between security forces and rebels of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, in the a wake of its campaign against PKK targets in Iraq in tandem with airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Syria. Hundreds of suspected militants have also been rounded up at home.
No one was hurt in the attack on the U.S. Consulate, which came just weeks after Turkey agreed to take a more active role in the U.S.-led campaign against the Islamic State group and to allow the U.S.-led coalition to use its bases in the fight. On Sunday, the U.S. military announced that a detachment of six F-16 fighter jets and some 300 personnel had arrived at Turkey’s southern Incirlik Air Base.
A far-left group that carried out a 2013 suicide bombing on the U.S. Embassy in Ankara claimed it was involved in the attack.
Both assailants fled, and one was later shot and taken into custody. The Revolutionary People’s Liberation Army-Front, or DHKP-C, identified her as 51year-old Hatice Asik and said she was a member of the group, which is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and Turkey. The other assailant was still at large.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and said security at U.S. missions around the country had been increased. It said Turkey was determined to fight terrorism through “cooperation and solidarity” with its NATO ally.
In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said U.S. officials were working with Turkish authorities to investigate the incident. He said the consulate would reopen for business Tuesday.
Earlier Monday, an unknown assailant fired on police inspecting the scene of a bombing at a police station in Istanbul. In the ensuing gunfight, a police officer and two assailants were killed.