Turkish police have detained four men over alleged links to an attack on the US consulate in Istanbul, Besir Atalay, the interior minister, said.

The arrests on Thursday came as the funerals were held for the three police officers killed in the seven-minute gunfight at a police post outside the consulate.  

Atalay said that Wednesday's shooting, in which three of the attackers were killed, was apparently a "suicide mission".

"Taking into account the footage from security cameras and other aspects of the incident, it largely appears to have been an act of suicide," he said.

Three of the suspects were detained up in Istanbul, while the fourth was brought another city. All were Turksih national, Atalay said..

Police have been looking for the driver of the car in which the three attackers drove to the consulate building. It is unknown whether he was among the four detained.

HEYET Net- Al- Jazeera Net