ISTANBUL (AFP) - A man suspected of trying to force his way into a Turkish police station in a city near the Syrian border was shot dead on Tuesday (Jan 10) as his accomplices fled, Turkish media reported.

An officer was seriously wounded in the shootout with the alleged attackers outside police headquarters in the south-eastern city of Gaziantep, the reports said.

NTV television said "terrorists attempted to enter the police building", prompting officers at the scene to open fire.

"One terrorist was neutralised and the other two are on the run," it said quoting witnesses, adding that an operation was under way to catch the other suspects.

The state-run Anadolu news agency said ambulances were sent to the scene but gave no reason for the clashes.

Turkey has been hit by a wave of attacks blamed on so-called ISIS and Kurdish militants.

A gun attack on the Reina nightclub in Istanbul at New Year claimed by ISIS left 39 people, including 27 foreigners, dead.

Four days later a car packed with explosives blew up in front of the main courthouse in the western city of Izmir, killing a policeman and court worker.

The government blamed the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) for the Izmir attack.