Turkish security forces detained at least 21 Daesh-linked suspects in counterterrorism operations across the country, including Yozgat, Istanbul and Kocaeli provinces on Tuesday.
In Yozgat-based operations, police detained eight suspected Daesh terrorists, who allegedly fought for the terrorist group in conflict zones and illegally entered Turkey. The raids were conducted in Istanbul, Adana, Kahramanmaraş, Çorum and Şanlıurfa provinces.
Five of the suspects detained in the operations were arrested and sent to prison, while three of them were released on judicial control procedures.
In Istanbul, counterterrorism squads detained four suspects in operations against Daesh and al-Qaida terrorist groups. The suspects were allegedly planning to carry out attacks on behalf of the terrorist groups. Two of the suspects were identified as foreign nationals, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry announced that a Daesh terrorist planning to carry out a suicide attack was detained in the Küçükçekmece district in Istanbul on Tuesday.
The terrorist, identified as Anas Abbud Alshahi Bnaman, had Daesh-linked materials at his address in the district, the ministry said.
The total number of terrorists planning to carry out suicide attacks detained by Turkish security forces has reached 12 in 2022, the ministry added.
In Kocaeli-based operations carried out in Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa provinces, police detained eight other suspects. Digital materials and organizational documents were confiscated in the raids.
One of the suspects, identified as H. E. H., was responsible for preparing and installing explosives on vehicles to carry out car bomb attacks in Syria. The remaining suspects provided logistical support and ammunition to Daesh terrorists, the report said.
In 2013, Turkey 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 assaults.
In response, Turkey launched counterterrorism operations within and abroad to prevent further attacks. Last year, Ankara arrested a Daesh terrorist identified as the right-hand of former terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Turkish security forces also foiled the secret office structure of the Daesh terrorist group in the country, which was used to transfer funds to the families of martyrs and captives.