This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/10/istanbul-attacks-shots-fired-us-consulate-police-station-bomb
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| Two Marxist women open fire at US consulate in Istanbul | Two Marxist women open fire at US consulate in Istanbul |
| (2 days later) | |
| Two women from a banned Marxist group opened fire at the US consulate in Istanbul on Monday, in the latest of a wave of attacks to hit Turkey following its decision to step up military action against Islamic State. | Two women from a banned Marxist group opened fire at the US consulate in Istanbul on Monday, in the latest of a wave of attacks to hit Turkey following its decision to step up military action against Islamic State. |
| The assailants set off a gunfight with police before fleeing the scene, Turkish media reported. One of them, 51-year-old Hatice As ik, was captured hiding in a nearby building and taken to hospital. A second female suspect escaped. No one else was injured. | The assailants set off a gunfight with police before fleeing the scene, Turkish media reported. One of them, 51-year-old Hatice As ik, was captured hiding in a nearby building and taken to hospital. A second female suspect escaped. No one else was injured. |
| Related: PKK, not Islamic State, is Erdogan’s real target | Letters | |
| According to Turkish news agencies, citing police sources, Asik is a member of the far-left Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front, or DHKP-C. In 2013 the group carried out a suicide attack on the US embassy in Ankara that killed a security guard. | According to Turkish news agencies, citing police sources, Asik is a member of the far-left Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front, or DHKP-C. In 2013 the group carried out a suicide attack on the US embassy in Ankara that killed a security guard. |
| The group said in a statement that Asik was a “people’s warrior” and confirmed she had been arrested. “Our struggle will continue until imperialism and its collaborators leave our country and every parcel of our homeland is cleared of US bases,” it said. | The group said in a statement that Asik was a “people’s warrior” and confirmed she had been arrested. “Our struggle will continue until imperialism and its collaborators leave our country and every parcel of our homeland is cleared of US bases,” it said. |
| The US embassy said US officials were working with Turkish authorities to investigate the incident. The consulate would remain closed to the public until further notice, it said. | The US embassy said US officials were working with Turkish authorities to investigate the incident. The consulate would remain closed to the public until further notice, it said. |
| Police wearing flak jackets and holding machine guns blocked off streets leading to the consulate. The building, which is surrounded by fortified walls, was intact and its flag was flying. | Police wearing flak jackets and holding machine guns blocked off streets leading to the consulate. The building, which is surrounded by fortified walls, was intact and its flag was flying. |
| The attack follows the overnight bombing of an Istanbul police station and further unrest in other parts of the country. A total of eight people were killed nationwide. | The attack follows the overnight bombing of an Istanbul police station and further unrest in other parts of the country. A total of eight people were killed nationwide. |
| The car bomb in the Sultanbeyli district police station injured three officers and seven civilians and caused a fire that caused part of the three-storey building to collapse. Unknown gunmen then fired on police inspecting the scene of the explosion, sparking a shootout. A member of the inspection team and two assailants died in the exchanges. | The car bomb in the Sultanbeyli district police station injured three officers and seven civilians and caused a fire that caused part of the three-storey building to collapse. Unknown gunmen then fired on police inspecting the scene of the explosion, sparking a shootout. A member of the inspection team and two assailants died in the exchanges. |
| Ankara has recently stepped up its campaign against Isis militants. The government also agreed to allow the US-led coalition targeting Isis in neighbouring Syria to use Turkish airbases. Over the weekend a detachment of six F-16 fighter jets arrived at Turkey’s southern Incirlik air base, the US military confirmed. | Ankara has recently stepped up its campaign against Isis militants. The government also agreed to allow the US-led coalition targeting Isis in neighbouring Syria to use Turkish airbases. Over the weekend a detachment of six F-16 fighter jets arrived at Turkey’s southern Incirlik air base, the US military confirmed. |
| Last month Ankara conducted aerial strikes against Isis positions in Syria. It also bombed camps in northern Iraq belonging to rebels from the Kurdistan Workers’ party, or PKK. The raids set off a sharp spike in violence between security forces and PKK militants inside Turkey. | Last month Ankara conducted aerial strikes against Isis positions in Syria. It also bombed camps in northern Iraq belonging to rebels from the Kurdistan Workers’ party, or PKK. The raids set off a sharp spike in violence between security forces and PKK militants inside Turkey. |
| On Monday Ege Seçkin, a Turkish analyst with IHS in London, said he was not surprised the far left group had attacked the US consulate building. | On Monday Ege Seçkin, a Turkish analyst with IHS in London, said he was not surprised the far left group had attacked the US consulate building. |
| “It’s very convenient. If you were to think of two or three likely targets for the DHKP-C, the consulate would be one of them. The shooting sends a message: that they are still very active and have a capacity to strike,” he said. | “It’s very convenient. If you were to think of two or three likely targets for the DHKP-C, the consulate would be one of them. The shooting sends a message: that they are still very active and have a capacity to strike,” he said. |
| According to Seçkin, it is Turkey’s military intervention in Syria that is driving this latest round of turmoil across the country. He said the DHKP-C – mainly based in Istanbul and Ankara – had close unofficial ties with the Syrian regime in Damascus. The PKK has a similar Marxist ideology but is entirely separate from it, he said. | According to Seçkin, it is Turkey’s military intervention in Syria that is driving this latest round of turmoil across the country. He said the DHKP-C – mainly based in Istanbul and Ankara – had close unofficial ties with the Syrian regime in Damascus. The PKK has a similar Marxist ideology but is entirely separate from it, he said. |
| Related: The Guardian view on Turkey’s air strikes against Isis: dangerous territory | Editorial | Related: The Guardian view on Turkey’s air strikes against Isis: dangerous territory | Editorial |
| Turkey was now embroiled in a “two-front war” against the PKK and Isis, Seçkin said, with its show of force against Isis largely symbolic. Ankara’s main priority was to weaken Kurdish rebels, he suggested. “Turkey is trying to further its interests across the region,” he said. “This includes toppling Assad and consolidating control in the northern part of Syria. Assad’s regime has to come up with some kind of a response.” | Turkey was now embroiled in a “two-front war” against the PKK and Isis, Seçkin said, with its show of force against Isis largely symbolic. Ankara’s main priority was to weaken Kurdish rebels, he suggested. “Turkey is trying to further its interests across the region,” he said. “This includes toppling Assad and consolidating control in the northern part of Syria. Assad’s regime has to come up with some kind of a response.” |
| Also on Monday, a roadside bomb killed four police officers in Şırnak’s Silopi district, the private Dogan news agency said. | Also on Monday, a roadside bomb killed four police officers in Şırnak’s Silopi district, the private Dogan news agency said. |
| In Şırnak province Kurdish rebels opened fire on a Turkish military helicopter just as it was taking off. At least one soldier was killed and seven others injured, security sources told Reuters. The helicopter was ferrying Turkish conscripts who had finished their tour of duty or were taking leave. | In Şırnak province Kurdish rebels opened fire on a Turkish military helicopter just as it was taking off. At least one soldier was killed and seven others injured, security sources told Reuters. The helicopter was ferrying Turkish conscripts who had finished their tour of duty or were taking leave. |
| Last month Turkey carried out a major security sweep, detaining 1,300 people suspected of links to terrorist organisations, including the DHKP-C as well as Isis and the PKK. | Last month Turkey carried out a major security sweep, detaining 1,300 people suspected of links to terrorist organisations, including the DHKP-C as well as Isis and the PKK. |