Turkey arrests 23 Daesh/ISIS terror suspects

By Sertac Bulur

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish security forces on Thursday arrested 23 Daesh/ISIS terror suspects in simultaneous operations in the capital Ankara to prevent terror activities ahead of the New Year holidays.

Based on intelligence, anti-terror police launched the operations in Ankara to apprehend 30 suspects who were either active Daesh/ISIS members in conflict zones, were in contact with them or helped them.

According to security sources, 23 of the 30 suspects were arrested in separate operations at different locations.

Efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining fugitive suspects, the sources added.

Turkey is one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terror group.

Since then, the terror organization has targeted the country multiple times. The Daesh/ISIS terrorist group is responsible for at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed attacks, killing 315 people and injuring hundreds more.

In response, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.