Turkiye detained more than 100 individuals believed to be associated with the Islamic State group this week, as announced by authorities on Friday (August 30, 2024), marking another significant crackdown on the terrorist organization.
The nation has experienced several devastating attacks claimed by IS, including a tragic nightclub shooting in 2017 that resulted in numerous casualties.
The recent operations were conducted nationwide, with raids in the capital city of Ankara and Turkiye’s largest city, Istanbul, as reported by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The arrest of 119 individuals this week follows previous mass detentions, including 99 individuals detained in early August.
Also read: ISIS | The Islamic State without a ‘Caliphate’
Following the collapse of the self-proclaimed “caliphate” in 2019, some suspected IS members have sought refuge in Turkiye.
Turkish authorities disclosed that since June 2023, more than 3,600 individuals with alleged ties to the extremist group have been apprehended.
It was revealed by local authorities that two of the perpetrators responsible for the massacre of 145 individuals at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall in March, an incident for which IS took credit, had spent a significant amount of time in Turkiye before traveling to Russia.
