Turkish security forces have carried out large-scale nationwide counterterrorism operations against the militant group ISIS, arresting 357 suspected members in a single day in what is being described as one of the major security crackdowns in recent times.
According to the Turkish interior minister, simultaneous counterterrorism operations were conducted across 21 provinces, resulting in the detention of 357 individuals suspected of having links with ISIS, while provincial police, counterterrorism units, and intelligence agencies jointly took part in the coordinated raids.
The Ministry of Interior stated that Turkey continues to follow a strict zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and will not allow any terrorist organization to operate, regroup, or establish networks within the country.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said that 110 suspects were arrested in the city who were allegedly planning terrorist attacks during the New Year period, adding that substantial evidence has been collected against them.
Meanwhile, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that arrest warrants have been issued for 17 ISIS-linked suspects, including 11 foreign nationals, and efforts to apprehend them are currently underway.
Security forces had also arrested more than 100 suspected ISIS members in Istanbul during operations conducted a few days earlier, during which a large cache of weapons and prohibited material was recovered.
Turkish authorities said the arrested individuals were actively planning major terrorist activities around the New Year, but timely intelligence-based operations successfully thwarted their plans.
