Turkey: Policeman killed by suspected IS militant in Istanbul August 13

Event

On Sunday, August 13, a policeman was stabbed to death by a suspected Islamic State (IS) militant in Istanbul at around 23:00 (local time). The attacker was immediately shot dead after by police forces.

According to local media, the attacker was in custody at the time, having been arrested for allegedly planning a suicide attack. It is still unclear how he managed to stab the policeman while under arrest. 

Context

Tensions remain high in Turkey as the country has been hit by a resurgence of violence since 2015, namely due to increased clashes between Kurdish separatists and government forces and the Turkish military invasion of Syria.

A succession of attacks in 2016, including the Istanbul nightclub shooting on January 1, 2017, have been attributed to IS.

Advice

Travelers are advised to remain vigilant and to avoid discussing sensitive political topics in public.

Due to the Turkish government's ongoing conflicts with the PKK as well as the Islamic State (IS), most Western governments advise against all travel to the city of Diyarbakır and areas along the Syrian and Iraqi borders, as well as nonessential travel to the provinces of Şırnak, Gaziantep, Diyarbakir, Mardin, Şanlıurfa, Kilis, Hatay, Siirt, Tunceli, and Hakkâri. The threat of terrorism remains present throughout Turkey. Travelers should report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities, and avoid all protests due to the risk of violence.