Police, ruling party hit by attacks in Istanbul

An assailant opened fire on a police car yesterday in Istanbul, just hours after two other attacks against the police and Turkey's ruling party offices, media reports said.

The series of assaults, which authorities suggested were the work of ultra-leftists, come as the nation is reeling from an unprecedented series of attacks and bombings.

The shooter opened fire on officers in a car in the Esenyurt district of Istanbul, the Dogan news agency said. The assailant left a hand grenade before running away when officers shot back. No injuries were reported.

The attack came in the same area where the gunman blamed for the New Year shooting on an elite nightclub in Istanbul was arrested.

Saturday's gunfire came less than 12 hours after two rocket attacks in the city on a police headquarters and the ruling Justice and Development (AKP) Party's Istanbul offices late Friday.

No one was killed or injured in any of the three attacks, local media said.

Images in Turkish media showed an unexploded rocket which had become stuck in a framed text of the Turkish national anthem inside the AKP offices.

No group claimed responsibility for the attacks but authorities suggested the outlawed ultra-leftist Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) could be to blame.