Ankara - Police in Turkey on Thursday continued to search for the man who drove three suspected al-Qaeda gunmen to the US consulate in Istanbul where they opened fire on police. The three attackers and three police officers were killed in the attacks, which took place on Wednesday.

Police were on high alert throughout Istanbul Wednesday night searching for the driver of a grey Ford Focus that fled the scene of the gun fight that, according to witnesses, lasted between seven and eight minutes.

Turkish media on Thursday reported that two of the three gunmen, all Turkish nationals, had received training at al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks that US Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson described as a "dastardly and cowardly act." (dpa)