The Interior Ministry announced 47 suspects were captured in the “Bozdoğan-6” operation against the terrorist group Daesh on Wednesday. Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a social media post that operations were carried out in Istanbul and the capital, Ankara, as well as the provinces of Kırıkkale, Adana and Bursa, by the police’s counterterrorism units and in coordination with police intelligence.
In Istanbul, 22 suspects were apprehended, while 15 others were captured in the capital. Yerlikaya noted that security forces carried out 1,162 operations against Daesh since he took office as the new interior minister in July 2023 and 2,402 suspects were captured.
Türkiye stepped up counterterrorism efforts following a Daesh attack, which killed one in an Istanbul church last month, and rounded up dozens of Daesh suspects in nationwide operations since then. The church shooting was linked to the “Khorasan” cell of Daesh, which is known for its activities in Asian countries, particularly Afghanistan. Its “head” for Istanbul was behind the church attack plot, according to security sources.
In 2013, Türkiye became one of the first countries to declare Daesh a terrorist group. The country has since been attacked by the terrorist group multiple times, with over 300 people killed and hundreds more injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks and four armed attacks. In response, Türkiye launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.
Terrorists from Daesh and other groups, such as the PKK and its Syrian wing, the YPG, rely on a network of members and supporters in Türkiye.
