Turkish police kill five suspected Daesh militants in Konya

Turkish anti-terrorism police break a door during an operation to arrest people over alleged links to the Daesh terrorist group, in Adiyaman, Turkey, February 5, 2017. (Photo by AP)

Turkish police have reportedly killed five suspected Daesh terrorists during a raid on their hideout in the central province of Konya.

The private Dogan news agency reported that the operation was conducted by Turkish special police forces at a house in Konya’s Meram district early on Wednesday.

It further noted that those killed were suspected of planning to attack events scheduled to be held this week to mark the first anniversary of the July 15, 2016 failed military coup.

The putsch against the Ankara government, which left almost 250 people dead, was suppressed over the course of some two days. Ankara blamed Fethullah Gulen for masterminding the abortive coup, a charge denied by the US-based Turkish cleric.

Meanwhile, the Konya governor’s office said in a statement that during Wednesday’s operation, “the five terrorists were neutralized after they resisted armed force, and four security forces were lightly injured.”

The raid was launched as part of security measures to protect buildings along routes used by military vehicles and in search of a wanted Daesh element, the statement read.

A woman mourns during a memorial ceremony at Ataturk International Airport in the Turkish city of Istanbul on June 28, 2017, one year after a deadly triple bombing and gun attack blamed on Daesh terrorists. (Photo by AFP)

A gunfight erupted after the terrorists resisted the police, it said, adding that five Kalashnikov rifles, a pistol and ammunition were seized from the hideout.

Reports say police sealed off the area after the clashes and began searching approaching vehicles.

In recent years, Daesh militants have carried out gun and bomb attacks in Turkey.

Daesh has killed a total of 304 people in 14 major attacks in the country, Turkey’s Interior Ministry said in a report released on Tuesday.

Turkish officials says Ankara has detained over 5,000 Daesh suspects and deported about 3,290 foreign militants from 95 different countries in the past few years.

This is while the Turkish government has itself been accused of providing Takfiri militants with logistical support and safe passage into neighboring Syria.