Turkish police detained nine suspects in Istanbul on Tuesday as part of an investigation into alleged financial links to the Daesh terrorist group, authorities said.
Counterterrorism teams from the Istanbul Police Department launched the investigation to identify the terrorist group's financial networks and individuals suspected of providing or facilitating funding.
Investigators identified the suspects after examining financial transactions flagged by Türkiye's Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), according to authorities.
The suspects were found to have links to conflict zones and financial transactions with numerous individuals who had previously faced legal proceedings over alleged connections to Daesh and other religiously motivated terrorist groups.
Police carried out simultaneous raids at several addresses across Istanbul, detaining nine suspects.
The suspects were taken to police headquarters for further questioning and processing.
Turkish security forces have stepped up operations against Daesh networks in recent years, targeting suspected members as well as recruitment, logistics and financing networks linked to the terrorist group.
Earlier this month, a suspected member of Daesh who was allegedly planning an attack in Türkiye was killed after opening fire on police during an operation in Istanbul.
According to a statement from the Istanbul Governor’s Office, the 21-year-old suspect was targeted in a joint operation coordinated by Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and the Istanbul Police Department.
During another search previously conducted at multiple locations also led to the seizure of assets valued at approximately TL 1.82 million ($42,000), along with a hunting rifle, digital materials and documents affiliated with the group.
