More than 350 suspected Islamic State group (IS) members have been detained as part of nationwide police operations in Turkey.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 357 suspects were apprehended across 21 provinces in coordinated raids on Tuesday morning.
This crackdown follows an incident where three police officers and six alleged militants were killed during an eight-hour siege in the northwestern town of Yalova. The violence left eight police officers and a security force member injured.
Just a week prior, authorities arrested another 115 suspects believed to be plotting attacks on non-Muslims during the holiday period surrounding Christmas and New Year's.
In a social media post, Yerlikaya detailed that operations took place in major cities including Ankara, Istanbul, and Yalova, stating, We have never given an opportunity to those who attempt to destabilize our country with terrorism, and we will continue to do so in the future. He shared videos showing counter-terrorism officers detaining suspects during the raids.
These operations demonstrate a heightened security focus ahead of the New Year period, following intelligence reports suggesting possible attacks. Authorities have previously indicated that IS supporters were actively planning attacks targeting non-Muslims.
During the raids, documents and digital materials were seized, and authorities also recovered various weapons. The Istanbul chief prosecutor's office confirmed that 41 of those detained had potential links to the violence in Yalova.
Officials report that additional detentions occurred in Yalova for individuals who made provocative posts on social media regarding the events.
Turkey's ongoing efforts against IS are critical given its geographic proximity to Syria, where the group still operates. Coordinated raids and intelligence-sharing between Turkey and its international partners continue as part of the fight against terrorism in the region.
