UPDATE - 12 Daesh-linked suspects arrested across Turkey

UPDATES WITH TWO OPERATIONS, 9 MORE ARRESTS; UPDATED HEADLINE, DECK; OTHER EDITS

By Anil Bagrik, Recep Bilek and Muslum Etgu

MERSIN/SAMSUN/SANLIURFA, Turkey (AA) – Turkish security forces on Wednesday arrested 12 people in operations across Turkey over suspected links to the Daesh terrorist organization.

According to prosecutors in Mersin, three suspected Daesh members were arrested in Tomuk in southern Mersin’s Erdemli district as part of an ongoing operation against Daesh members who illegally entered Turkey.

The operation was carried out in coordination with the provincial gendarmerie command.

The suspects are thought to be part of what has been called the "execution unit" for the terrorist group, the statement added.

During the operation, security forces also seized digital materials and documents.

Separately, in Samsun, a northern Black Sea region province, six Iraqi nationals were arrested for suspected links to Daesh, according to a police source.

The suspects were arrested during six operations carried out in the Atakum and Canik districts, said the official, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media.

The security forces also seized digital materials, the source added.

In another operation in the southeastern Sanliurfa province, three Daesh suspects were arrested during anti-Daesh operations, another police source said.

Turkish security forces have been involved in a long-running campaign to thwart Daesh attacks.

More than 300 people have lost their lives in Daesh-claimed attacks in Turkey, where the terrorist group has targeted civilians in suicide bomb, rocket, and gun attacks.