Over 50 suspects with links to ISIS detained in Turkey

Turkish intelligence services detained 51 people on suspicion of links with the Islamic State group (also known as ISIS, recognized as terrorist and banned in Russia). This was announced by the Türkiye’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.

“As part of the operations that were carried out over four days in 21 provinces, 51 people were detained on suspicion of links with ISIS terrorist organization,” the minister wrote on the social network X. According to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the largest number of detainees was in Ankara (ten people). During the searches, documents and digital media related to the group’s activities were seized.

In January, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for an attack on a church in Istanbul that left one person dead. According to Anadolu Agency, 25 suspected members of the group were arrested across Turkey for plotting attacks on churches and synagogues on January 3.

Anti-terrorist operations are carried out in Turkey regularly. Early last week, the Turkish Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the detention of 147 suspects with links to the Islamic State group. Over the course of a year, 3 thousand of its alleged supporters were detained in Turkey. Of these, almost 700 were arrested. At the end of February, such operations were carried out in five provinces, including Izmir. Eight people were detained.

Last April, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the country's intelligence services had tracked down and eliminated the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Hussein al-Qurashi.