UPDATE - Turkish forces arrest 25 Daesh/ISIS terror suspects

UPDATES WITH MORE ARRESTS; CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Sertac Bulur and Emre Ayvaz

ANKARA/SAKARYA, Turkey (AA) - Turkish security forces arrested 25 foreign nationals over their alleged links to the Daesh/ISIS terror group, according to a security source on Monday.

Anti-terror police and intelligence teams learned about the presence of 21 Daesh/ISIS suspects in the capital Ankara, said the source, who asked not to named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The teams conducted simultaneous operations in the early morning hours and arrested 14 foreign nationals, who had connections with terrorists in conflict zones, it added.

It said the hunt for the remaining suspects was underway.

Separately, at least 11 Daesh/ISIS suspects were arrested in anti-terror operations across two provinces, according to a security source.

This came after prosecutors in the northwestern Sakarya province issued arrest warrants for 12 foreigners over their suspected links to Daesh/ISIS, it said.

Police arrested nine suspects in Ankara and two others in Sakarya, the source said, adding efforts are ongoing to nab the remaining suspect.

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

The country has since been attacked by the terror group multiple times, with 315 people killed and hundreds more injured in at least ten suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed assaults.

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

*Writing by Gozde Bayar