15 Daesh/ISIS suspects held across Türkiye

By Recep Bilek and Ugur Islamoglu

ISTANBUL/CANKIRI (AA) - Turkish security forces arrested 15 people, including three Iraqis, suspected of having links to the Daesh/ISIS terror group across the country, security sources said on Tuesday.

A counterterrorism operation was carried out as part of the investigation by prosecutors in the central Cankiri province to apprehend the suspects who were found to have previously operated within the terrorist organization, said a source, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Three Iraqi nationals were detained during the operation in the province, the source said, adding that digital materials were also seized from their possessions.

Separately, anti-terror police arrested 12 suspects during operations in three provinces, including Istanbul, security sources said.

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

The country has since been attacked by the terror group multiple times, with over 300 people killed and hundreds more injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed assaults.​​​​​​​

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

*Writing by Seda Sevencan