Members of Turkish Police special forces secure an area near the interior ministry following a bomb attack in Ankara, Turkey in October [File: Cagla Gurdogan/Reuters]
Turkey arrests 357 Daesh suspects in nationwide raids
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- Turkish authorities arrest 357 Daesh suspects in coordinated raids across 21 provinces.
- Operations target planned attacks in Istanbul and connections to conflict zones.
Turkish authorities arrested a total of 357 suspects in a nationwide operation against the Daesh terror group, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced Tuesday.
Read more: Turkey foils Daesh plot targeting New Year’s Eve celebrations in Istanbul
Yerlikaya said the simultaneous counterterrorism operations spanned 21 provinces and were carried out by provincial police units in coordination with chief public prosecutors’ offices, as well as the police counterterrorism and intelligence departments. He emphasized that Turkey will show no tolerance toward terrorism.
Istanbul arrests linked to Yalova attack
Earlier, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office reported the arrest of 110 suspects in the metropolis. Among them, 41 were connected to terrorists involved in Monday’s attack in Yalova province and were allegedly planning similar incidents in Istanbul during New Year’s celebrations.
Read more: Syrian forces arrest five suspects linked to Palmyra Daesh attack
Ankara issues additional arrest warrants
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued arrest warrants for 17 Daesh suspects, including 11 foreign nationals. The suspects are accused of membership in the terror group and maintaining contact with conflict zones.
Authorities said the Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau identified the suspects through analyses of digital materials seized during previous Daesh-related investigations.
