ISTANBUL: Turkish police killed two attackers after they launched an assault on a courthouse in Istanbul, resulting in injuries to six persons, including three police officers. Turkish authorities have declared the incident as a “terrorist act.”
The attack, which occurred on Tuesday morning, targeted the Caglayan court in Istanbul. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that the attackers engaged in a gun battle with law enforcement personnel after opening fire on a checkpoint near the courthouse.
Istanbul Courthouse Attack
The suspects, identified as EY and PB, are said to be associated with the armed group Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C), which has been designated a “terrorist group” in Turkey.
The DHKP-C has been engaged in a prolonged campaign against the Turkish state since the 1980s. Footage from the scene depicted a heavy police presence surrounding the court, with entry and exit points sealed off.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc confirmed that prosecutors have initiated an investigation into the attack.
Last month, masked gunmen stormed a church in Istanbul during Sunday mass, resulting in one fatality. Authorities have apprehended several persons suspected of involvement in the attack or having ties to the extremist group.
In October, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) carried out a suicide attack on the Ministry of Interior’s building in the capital, Ankara, as part of its ongoing conflict with the Turkish government.
