Turkish authorities responded swiftly on Tuesday as police shot and killed a man and a woman associated with a leftist “terrorist” organization who launched an assault on a security checkpoint outside Istanbul’s primary courthouse, leaving six individuals wounded, officials confirmed.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya identified the attackers as members of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), a radical leftist faction known for sporadic violence in Turkey since the 1980s. Despite the incident, the group has not yet made any formal claim of responsibility.
Yerlikaya emphasized in a social media statement that while the assailants were neutralized, three police officers and three civilians sustained injuries during the confrontation.
Turkey, in recent years, has faced significant security challenges, stemming from various sources including jihadist fighters and Kurdish militants. While the frequency of such attacks has diminished, major cities like Istanbul and Ankara remain vigilant.
In a separate incident last month, Istanbul witnessed another tragic event when gunmen opened fire inside a Catholic church, resulting in the death of one individual. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for this attack.
Similarly, in October, Kurdish militants assaulted the government district of Ankara, injuring two policemen. Turkey responded to such threats by escalating airstrikes against Kurdish targets in neighboring Syria and Iraq.
