Turkish security forces have arrested 16 foreigners including members of Daesh and the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group in southern Hatay province, Turkey's Defense Ministry announced Sunday.

“Our border guards serving in the Reyhanlı and Narlıca districts of Hatay took into custody a total of 16 people who were trying to illegally cross into Turkey from Syria. Four of them were identified as Daesh (ISIS) and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) members,” the ministry said in a written statement.

Turkey was one of the first countries to declare Daesh a terrorist group in 2013.

The country has since been attacked by the group's terrorists multiple times.

The terrorist group has carried out at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks and four armed attacks, killing 315 people and injuring hundreds more.

In response, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.

Last week, Turkish security forces once again detained six foreign nationals, including a wanted Daesh terrorist, near the border with Syria as they attempted to illegally enter the country.