Authorities state that approximately 115 Islamic State suspects were detained for allegedly planning assaults on non-Muslims during Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
In a series of raids, Turkish counter-terrorism units have detained 115 suspects linked to the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office reported on Thursday.
A press release indicated the suspects were allegedly preparing to carry out attacks on non-Muslims in Türkiye over the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
Officials reported that 137 arrest warrants were issued, leading to 115 apprehensions.
The Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office stated that “pistols, ammunition, and numerous organizational documents were seized” in the course of more than 100 raids throughout Istanbul province.
It was further noted that an ongoing counter-terrorism mission is actively pursuing the remaining suspects.
According to a Monday report by Anadolu, Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) recently apprehended a high-ranking IS member in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.
Earlier in December, officials arrested 233 people on suspicion of financing IS or having affiliations with the group.
The organization was formally declared a terrorist group by Türkiye in 2013.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated last year that Turkish forces have carried out over 1,400 operations against IS since that time.