Turkish authorities carried out operations across 25 provinces, detaining 125 individuals suspected of ties to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The recent crackdown on ISIS suspects involved hundreds of arrests nationwide to prevent potential attacks during the holiday season.
During one raid in Yalova, a suspected ISIS cell engaged in a shootout with police, resulting in the deaths of six ISIS suspects and three police officers. Eight officers and a night guard were also injured in the operation. All the militants involved were confirmed to be Turkish citizens.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that the coordinated raids, conducted by police and gendarmerie forces, took place in major cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, and Yalova. Yerlikaya emphasized the country’s determination to combat those who threaten national unity and values.
Turkey has experienced previous ISIS attacks, including the notorious nightclub shooting in Istanbul on New Year’s Day in 2017, which claimed the lives of 39 people. The recent operations against ISIS suspects coincide with a global resurgence of the terrorist group, as seen in recent attacks in Australia and strikes on U.S. forces in Syria.
In Syria, the U.S. military reported that nearly 25 ISIS operatives were killed or captured following an ambush that resulted in the deaths of two U.S. troops and an American civilian interpreter. The operations in Syria targeted ISIS weapons sites and infrastructure, with subsequent missions carried out over a span of 10 days.
Syrian security forces have also been active in combating ISIS, with recent raids near Damascus leading to the capture of a key ISIS leader and the killing of a senior ISIS commander. The efforts against ISIS in both Turkey and Syria demonstrate a continued commitment to eradicating the terrorist group from the region.