Turkey: ‘Daesh kills two policemen' in Diyarbakir blast

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

Two Turkish policemen were martyred and seven suspected Daesh militants were killed in clashes in Turkey’s southeastern Diyarbakir province, the regional governor’s office said Monday.

According to the governor office’s statement, five policemen were also injured in the incident in Diyarbakir's Kayapinar district. The martyred policemen were identified as Gokhan Cakici, 22, and Sadik Ozkan, 25.

Also, Turkish security forces captured 12 suspected Daesh members along with weapons and ammunition.  

The wounded were taken to Dicle University Medical Faculty Hospital in the province.

The clashes between Turkish security personnel and suspected militants erupted when security forces raided a residential building in Kayapinar district, which was said to be in use of Daesh members.

In remarks made in Istanbul, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said that the operation to nab the suspects began at around 4 a.m. local time.

"Unfortunately, two policemen were martyred when they opened a booby-trapped door," Kurtulmus said.

Speaking in eastern Malatya province, Diyarbakir Mayor Gulten Kisanak highlighted the importance of fighting against Daesh. "In fact, Daesh is a calamity for Turkey," Kisanak said.  

Daesh is among terrorist organizations accused of killing 102 people in two back-to-back bombings at a peace rally in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Oct. 10.