Turkey: 2,782 Daesh/ISIS terrorists arrested this year

By Muhammed Boztepe

ANKARA (AA) - A total of 289 terrorists were neutralized and 2,782 others arrested in Turkey’s anti-terror operations against the Daesh/ISIS terror group at home since the beginning of 2019.

Turkey launched a total of 1,201 anti-terror operations at home this year, remanding in custody 843 Daesh/ISIS terrorists.

As of Nov. 4, the Turkish Armed Forces and Syrian National Army arrested a total of 287 Daesh terrorists since the begin Operation Peace Spring launched on Oct. 9, including 45 Turkish nationals and 242 foreigners from 19 different nationalities.

There are currently 1,180 Daesh/ISIS terrorists in Turkish prisons, with 850 others in prisons in the region cleared of terrorists by Operation Peace Spring.

Operations against the terror group continue at home and abroad.

The issue of the handling of Daesh/ISIS members and their families detained in Syria -- including foreign members of the terror group -- has been controversial, with Turkey arguing that foreign-born terrorists should be repatriated to their countries of origin.

But several European countries have resisted Turkey's efforts to send Daesh/ISIS members back to their countries.

Turkey has so far deported 7,500 Daesh/ISIS members, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last week.

Since Turkey recognized Daesh/ISIS as a terrorist group in 2013, the Turkish state has been attacked by the group numerous times, including 10 suicide bombings, seven bombings, and four armed attacks which killed 315 people, including police officers and soldiers, and injured hundreds.

In response to the attacks, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad, neutralizing 3,500 Daesh/ISIS terrorists and arresting 5,500.

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz