Erdogan condemns 'heinous' Istanbul attack, vows continued fight against terrorism

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned a thwarted terror attack in Istanbul’s Besiktas district that left two police officers injured.

Speaking at a defence industry factory opening ceremony on Tuesday, Erdogan said: “We condemn the heinous attack in Istanbul, which was thwarted by the intervention of our heroic security forces.”

He stressed that Türkiye will continue its fight against all forms of terrorism and will not allow “base and planned provocations” to harm the country’s security climate.

On Tuesday, three terrorists were neutralised in a gunfight with police working to thwart the attack, while two police officers were lightly injured.

Istanbul prosecutors immediately launched an investigation into the incident.

Türkiye’s interior minister said the suspects who engaged in an armed clash with police officers have been identified, adding that "one had links to a group exploiting religion" and another had a prior drug-related record.

Separately, the justice minister said initial findings indicate that the attack targeted Turkish police officers deployed in the area.