A wave of violent attacks struck Turkey

At least five members of the Turkish security forces have been killed in attacks in the country's south-east and two bombs have exploded in Istanbul. Four police officers were killed by a bomb on a road in Sirnak province and shortly after, gunmen opened fire on a military helicopter, killing a soldier.

One of the Istanbul attacks, on the US consulate, was carried out by two women and blamed on a far-left group.

A Turkish government official has reportedly said a radical Marxist group, the Revolutionary People's Liberation Front (DHKP-C), was behind the attack on the consulate.

In 2013, a suicide bombing at the US embassy in the capital Ankara killed a Turkish security guard and injured one other person. The DHKP-C claimed responsibility for the attack.

One of the assailants in Monday's attack was wounded and detained, and a rifle and other weaponry were seized, Istanbul's governor said in a statement.

In the other attack in Istanbul, on a police station in the district of Sultanbeyli, a car bomb was detonated, injuring 10 people, including three police officers.

Dogan news agency reported that two attackers were killed in an exchange of fire that followed the explosion, and according to the NTV television, one policeman injured in the clashes, died later in hospital. A fire caused part of the three-story building to collapse.

"We are working with Turkish authorities to investigate the incident. The Consulate General remains closed to the public until further notice," a consulate official said.

TURKEY AGAINST ISLAMIC STATE

These attacks come as Turkey is taking a more active role against Islamic State militants. Last month it conducted aerial strikes against Isis positions in Syria and agreed to let the US-led coalition use its bases for its fight against the militants. This followed a suicide bombing blamed on Isis which killed 32 people

There has been a sharp spike in violence between Turkey’s security forces and rebels of the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK).

Following the attack on the military helicopter in Sirnak province, Turkish helicopters bombed PKK targets in retaliation.

PKK leader Cemil Bayik has accused Turkey of trying to protect IS by attacking Kurdish fighters.

"They are doing it to limit the PKK's fight against IS. Turkey is protecting IS," he told the BBC in an interview.

On Sunday, the US military announced that a detachment of six F-16 fighter jets had arrived at Turkey’s southern Incirlik air base.