Turkey arrests 9 Daesh/ISIS suspects

By Omer Urer and Yavuz Emrah Sever

DUZCE, Turkey (AA) - Turkey on Thursday arrested nine Daesh/ISIS terror suspects as part of an anti-terror operation in the northwestern province of Duzce, according to security sources.

Duzce's chief prosecutor office issued arrest warrants for nine suspects as part of a probe launched to investigate foreign national terrorism suspects who were allegedly "bomb expert, logistics officer, combatant, regional emir, police director and intelligence officer" in conflict zones of the terror group.

Anti-terror police units and team of intelligence service arrested the Iraqi national suspects, identified by only their initials, M.R, B.A, S.H, A.S, O.M, W.A, A.Y, H.K. and A.A at 12 addresses across the province.

A number of digital materials were also seized during the search at the suspects' addresses, said a source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

In 2013, Turkey became one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terrorist group.

The country has since been attacked by Daesh/ISIS terrorists multiple times, with at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed attacks that killed 315 people and injured hundreds more.

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