Türkiye detains hundreds in nationwide Islamic State operation

Türkiye detains hundreds in nationwide Islamic State operation
Screenshot from a video shows Turkish police raid in various cities
Reuters

Turkish police have detained 357 suspects in a nationwide operation targeting Islamic State, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Tuesday, following a deadly clash with suspected militants a day earlier.

Authorities carried out raids across 21 provinces, Yerlikaya said, as part of an intensified security campaign against the extremist group.

The operation followed an eight-hour siege on Monday in the northwestern town of Yalova, near Istanbul, where police clashed with suspected Islamic State militants. Three police officers and six militants were killed during the operation, according to officials.

Eight police officers and one other security force member were wounded in the raid, which took place at a residential property on the Sea of Marmara coast.

Earlier, the Istanbul prosecutor’s office said police raided 114 addresses in Istanbul and two other provinces, seizing digital materials and documents linked to the investigation.

The raids came a week after Turkish authorities detained more than 100 suspected Islamic State members over alleged plans to carry out attacks during the Christmas and New Year period.

Türkiye has stepped up security operations in recent weeks amid concerns over potential militant attacks, particularly during the holiday season. Authorities say investigations into the latest arrests are continuing.

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