Turkish authorities captured two suspects with links to the Daesh terrorist group in connection with a Sept. 8 armed attack on a police station in the western province of Izmir that left three police officers dead and two others wounded, officials said Tuesday.
The Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched a new phase of its investigation into the shooting at the Police Station in Izmir's Balçova district, where 16-year-old attacker E.B. fired with a shotgun. Prosecutors issued arrest warrants for three Daesh-linked suspects found to have ties to the assailant.
Anti-terror and intelligence teams raided several locations in two cities, Izmir and Istanbul. Authorities noted that the third suspect has left the country, and efforts are ongoing to track him.
The initial attack in Izmir resulted in the deaths of Chief Superintendent Muhsin Aydemir and police officer Hasan Akın. Police officers Ömer Amilağ and Murat Dağlı, along with a civilian, were injured. Amilağ, 29, later died from his injuries on Sept. 30, raising the death toll to three. The assailant was wounded and neutralized during the clash.
Meanwhile, Turkish authorities also continue to launch operations against the group. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced on Tuesday that six suspects were detained and accused of financing Daesh through illegal money transfer to conflict zones.
The prosecutor’s office noted that the investigation began after the Counterterrorism Department reported suspicious international fund movements. Officials identified a WhatsApp group named “IKRA,” which was allegedly used to coordinate illicit transfers to Daesh-affiliated individuals abroad.
Financial Crime Investigation Board (MASAK) data also showed that members of the group conducted multiple transfers to individuals previously investigated for involvement with Daesh, prosecutors said. Six suspects were identified and targeted in simultaneous raids across four districts of Istanbul.
All suspects were detained, and authorities seized various organizational documents during the searches.
