Turkish security forces on Monday arrested a total of 16 Daesh terrorist suspects in simultaneous operations across 10 districts in Istanbul.
A statement by the Istanbul Police Department said that officers of the counterterrorism branch conducted an operation based on intelligence that members of a group affiliated with terrorist organizations that abuse religion may carry out actions against Türkiye.
"Considering that individuals operating in connection with terrorist organizations operating in conflict zones and abusing religion, may take actions against our country," the statement said and added that 16 suspects were arrested in the simultaneous operation carried out against 14 different addresses located in 10 districts of Istanbul – Avcılar, Bağcılar, Başakşehir, Beylikdüzü, Esenler, Esenyurt, Küçükçekmece, Sultangazi, Sultanbeyli and Zeytinburnu – in order to apprehend individuals residing throughout Istanbul who continue their activities.
After a meteoric rise in 2014 in Iraq and Syria that saw it conquer vast swathes of territory, Daesh saw its self-proclaimed "caliphate" collapse under a wave of offensives.
It was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria two years later, but sleeper cells of the extremist group still carry out attacks in both countries.
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 assaults.
In response, Türkiye launched counterterrorism operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.
