Turkey detains 18 in connection with attack near courthouse
IZMIR, Turkey — Police detained 18 people on Friday in connection with an attack near a courthouse in the western city of Izmir that killed a policeman and a courthouse employee. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said Friday that Turkish authorities had no doubt that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, “gave the orders” for the attack.
The two assailants were killed in a shootout with police in Thursday’s incident in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city, after they detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at a roadblock. The attackers were armed with automatic rifles, rocket launchers and hand grenades, officials said.
Bozdag spoke before thousands of people at a memorial service for the slain police officer, Fethi Sekin, who authorities say thwarted a larger attack.
He said 18 suspects were rounded up, but did not provide details. There was no immediate responsibility claim.