Turkish authorities have prevented planned attacks during Christmas and New Year celebrations by arresting more than 100 suspected members of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), according to BBC, cited by Gazeta Express.
A massive raid was conducted across 124 locations in Istanbul, with firearms, ammunition, and “organizational documents” seized, city prosecutors said.
Officials stated that ISIS supporters had been actively planning attacks across Turkey this week, particularly targeting non-Muslim communities.
The police detained 115 suspects, while efforts continue to locate 22 additional individuals, according to an official statement. Authorities also confirmed that the suspects were in contact with ISIS operatives abroad.
The announcement comes just two days after Turkish intelligence agents conducted a raid near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. A Turkish national suspected of holding a senior role within ISIS’s regional branch was arrested and charged with planning attacks against civilians.
Turkish security services regularly target individuals with suspected ISIS links, particularly given the country’s 900 km (560 miles) border with Syria, where the group remains active in some areas.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who maintains close ties with the Turkish government, has pledged to work with the U.S. and Europe to eradicate surviving ISIS elements.
Meanwhile, the U.S. launched airstrikes against ISIS positions across Syria in response to the killing of three Americans, including two U.S. soldiers and one civilian translator, during an ambush earlier this month.
