Turkey has in recent months stepped up operations against members of IS, which has claimed responsibility for a number of deadly attacks in the country.
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A dragnet during a series of operations across the country, ahead of New Year celebrations. Turkish authorities arrested nearly 200 people suspected of belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group, announced Saturday 30 December, the Turkish Interior Minister. In a message on X (formerly Twitter), Ali Yerlikaya said that 189 suspects had been arrested in 37 cities, including 27 in Ankara and 22 in Istanbul.
Turkey has intensified operations in recent months against members of the jihadist group, which has claimed responsibility for a number of deadly attacks in Turkey, including one on January 1, 2017 in an Istanbul nightclub, which killed 39 people.
On Friday, authorities had already announced the arrest of 32 suspected IS members, including three senior members of the group, suspected of planning attacks, including against churches and synagogues, as well as against the Iraqi embassy. . Last week, police announced a vast search in 32 cities across the country and the arrest of more than 300 people also suspected of having links with the Islamic State group.
