Shots fired by two gunmen at U.S. Consulate in Istanbul

Turkey has seen a sharp spike in clashes between security forces and rebels of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, in the a wake of its campaign against PKK targets in Iraq in tandem with airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Syria. It has also rounded up hundreds of suspected militants at home. The other female militant was at large after the shooting.

“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, praising Asik as “our honour”.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and said security at U.S. missions around the country had been increased.

Washington has long been pushing its historic ally Turkey to step up the fight against IS, something Ankara had until recently been reluctant to do. U.S. authorities are working with Turkish police to investigate the incident at the consulate. He said the consulate would reopen for business on Tuesday.

Two attackers were killed when police returned fire. A bomb exploded near the police station, wounding at least 10 people.

The Istanbul governor’s office said one of the two women was eventually arrested while wounded. Unknown assailants later fired on police inspecting the scene of the explosion, sparking one other gunfight with police that killed a member of the police inspection workforce and two assailants. Turkey has responded by arresting more than 1,300 suspected supporters of illegal groups, including Daesh, the PKK and the DHKP-C. Turkey is also taking a more active role against ISIL militants.

According to NBC News, the attack at the U.S. Consulate began just hours after the announcement of the U.S. military that a contingent of six F-16 fighter jets have landed at Incirlik Air Base in the southern part of Turkey to participate in the battle against ISIS militants.

Two armed individuals launched a gun attack against the well-fortified US consulate in the quiet district of Istinye on the Bosphorus on the outskirts of Istanbul. The DHKP-C claimed duty for the assault. This same group also reportedly murdered a Turkish security officer in a 2013 suicide bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara.

The rebel group of Kurds and the left wing DHKP-C both have origins that are Marxist and have worked together previously.

A Turkish official in Ankara had earlier told AFP on condition of anonymity that the attack “on the consulate is linked with the DHKP-C“. The group, which wants to set up a socialist state in Turkey, advocates a Marxist-Leninist ideology and opposes the U.S. and Turkish governments, as well as North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.