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Turkey detains 16 accused of links to Islamic State after bookshop clash

Police had
tried to close the shop in the southeastern city of Bingol overnight, the
governor’s office said, adding that the shop supported Islamic State activities
in the country.

Islamic
State has conducted numerous attacks across Turkey, including on a nightclub in
Istanbul on Jan 1, 2017, in which 39 people were killed.

“Teams
of our police intervened … while attacks using sticks and stones were carried
out against our security forces,” the governor’s office statement said.

The suspects
had been detained for assaulting a law enforcement officer, intentionally
causing injury and damaging public property, it said.

Footage from
the operation showed dozens of people clashing with police using sticks, while
gun shots were heard.

Since a
failed 2016 coup, Turkey has investigated and tried tens of thousands of people
accused of militant links in a crackdown which rights groups say has been used
as pretext to quash dissent.

The
government has said its actions are necessary given the gravity of the threats
faced by Turkey.

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