President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and several Turkish officials on Monday expressed condolences for police officers killed during a counterterrorism operation targeting the Daesh terrorist group in Türkiye’s northwestern province of Yalova and wished a speedy recovery to those wounded, stressing that Türkiye would continue its fight with determination against all terrorist groups.
The statements came after Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said three police officers were killed and eight others wounded during the operation, in which six Daesh militants were also killed earlier Monday.
In a statement shared on NSosyal, Erdoğan said he was deeply saddened by the deaths of police officers who were killed in the operation and extended his condolences to their families, the police force and the nation. He also said he hoped for the swift recovery of injured officers.
Erdoğan underlined that Türkiye would continue its fight against those threatening national security and public order “in a determined, multidimensional and uncompromising manner,” both at home and abroad.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said three police officers were killed and eight others wounded, along with one neighborhood guard, after militants from the Daesh group opened fire during Monday's counterterrorism operation.
Yerlikaya said the operation was part of a broader nationwide campaign against the Daesh terrorist group, noting that over the past month, security forces had detained 137 suspects and imposed judicial control measures on 97 others. As part of the latest effort, simultaneous raids were carried out at 108 locations across 15 provinces.
According to the minister, police proceeded with caution due to the presence of women and children inside the building. Five women and six children were evacuated safely before a clash erupted, killing six suspected militants. Yerlikaya said all of the militants were Turkish nationals and that the operation was completed at 9:40 a.m.
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç also announced that a judicial investigation had been launched into the incident. He said the Yalova Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office assigned five prosecutors to the case and that five suspects were taken into custody as part of the inquiry, which he said was being conducted thoroughly and from multiple angles.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said he offered condolences for police officers Ilker Pehlivan, Turgut Külünk and Yasin Koçyiğit, who were killed during the operation, and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded officers.
“I extend my condolences to our nation,” Fidan said in a message shared on social media.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran and ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesperson Ömer Çelik also issued statements expressing condolences for the officers killed and wishing a speedy recovery to the wounded, while reaffirming Türkiye’s determination to continue its fight against terrorism.
Duran shared a social media post that offered condolences for the police officers killed during the operation and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded security personnel.
Emphasizing Türkiye’s determination in the fight against terrorism, Duran said the country’s struggle against all terrorist groups targeting public peace and security would continue without interruption through the resolve of the state and the sacrifice of its security forces. He added that no structure seeking to undermine national unity and solidarity would succeed and expressed condolences to the nation and the police force.
Ruling AK Party spokesperson Ömer Çelik also issued a condolence message.
Çelik remarked, “Terrorism is the enemy of humanity,” and stressed that the fight against all forms of terrorism would continue with determination. He offered condolences to the families of the fallen officers, the police force and the nation, and wished mercy for those killed.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said he shared the grief of the families of police officers killed. In a statement, Kurtulmuş offered condolences for the fallen officers, wished a speedy recovery to the wounded, and expressed sympathy to their families and the nation.
Separately, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz also issued a condolence message, expressing sorrow over the deaths. He wished a swift recovery to the injured police officers and a neighborhood guard, and extended condolences to the families of those killed, the police force and the nation.
Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır said in a social media post that he offered condolences for the police officers killed during the operation and expressed sympathy to their families and the police force.
Kacır also wished a speedy recovery to the wounded police officers and a neighborhood guard, and stressed that Türkiye would continue its fight with determination against all terrorist groups targeting public peace.
