Turkey: 112 Daesh suspects arrested over last week

By Mustafa Yildirim

ISTANBUL (AA) – At least 112 people have been arrested for suspected links to Daesh during counterterrorism operations across the country over the last week.

According to information gathered by Anadolu Agency, anti-terror squads conducted three separate operations at 19 locations in nine Istanbul districts, apprehending 69 Daesh suspects.

Among the suspects were a French couple, detained by the police at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport for their alleged links to Daesh terrorist organization.

Police also rounded up 10 Daesh suspects in the Aegean province of Izmir for making propaganda of the terrorist group.

Another 10 suspects were arrested by the police in central Eskisehir province for carrying out activities in the name of Daesh.

Another seven suspects were arrested in the southeastern province of Kahramanmaras in two separate operations, while two others were detained in northwestern Bursa province. Five Syrian and four Iraqi nationals were among the suspects.

In central Kayseri province, eight people suspected of supporting Daesh were captured in a police raid, and three others were arrested in southeastern Sanliurfa province for alleged Daesh membership.

As part of another operation into the terrorist group in northern Samsun province, police detained three more suspects, among them two Iraqis and a Syrian.

More than 300 people have lost their lives in Daesh-claimed attacks in Turkey so far, where the terror organization has targeted civilians in suicide bombs, rocket and gun attacks. Turkish security forces have been involved in a long-running campaign to thwart Daesh attacks.