Turkish police killed five Islamic State militants in a raid on a house in the central city of Konya on Wednesday and four police were slightly wounded, the provincial governor’s office said.

Special forces police launched the operation at the house in the Meram district of the city at 5:15 a.m. (0215 GMT) because they believed the militant cell was planning an attack, the private Dogan news agency said.

It said there were suspicions that those killed may have been planning to target events being held this week to commemorate the first anniversary of an attempted military coup in Turkey on July 15.

The operation was launched as part of security measures to protect buildings along routes used by military vehicles and the raid on the house was launched in search of a wanted Islamic State militant, the Konya governor’s office statement said.

A gunfight broke out after those in the house resisted the police and five Kalashnikov rifles, a pistol and ammunition were seized during the raid, it added. Work was continuing to identify those killed.

Police sealed off the area and approaching vehicles were searched after the clash, which occurred during raids conducted by the police on 10 different addresses in Konya, Dogan said.

Islamic State militants have in the past carried out gun and bomb attacks in Turkey. Many foreign fighters have also passed through Turkey in recent years on their way to join the jihadist group in their self-proclaimed caliphate in Syria and Iraq.

Ankara has detained more than 5,000 Islamic State suspects and deported some 3,290 foreign militants from 95 different countries in recent years, according to Turkish officials.

Source: reuters