Turkish authorities detained 23 suspects in separate operations targeting the financial network of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and the suspects involved in online propaganda activities of the Daesh terrorist group, officials announced on Tuesday.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that arrest warrants were issued for 13 suspects accused of financing the FETÖ group. According to the statement, investigators determined through technical and physical surveillance that funds sent from abroad were funneled through several companies to individuals previously identified as FETÖ members or to their relatives. Police launched coordinated raids across six provinces as part of the probe.
In Istanbul, counterterrorism units carried out a separate operation against Daesh-linked suspects who allegedly promoted the group’s ideology on social media platforms. Authorities said 10 individuals identified during the investigation were detained in early-morning raids conducted by the Counterterrorism Department (TEM) and the intelligence teams. Searches at the suspects’ residences yielded numerous digital devices believed to contain propaganda materials.
The detainees were taken to the police stations for questioning. Officials said the operations reflect Türkiye’s continued efforts to disrupt the financial and digital networks of both FETÖ and Daesh terrorist groups, which remain key components of the country’s broader counterterrorism strategy.
The groups face nationwide operations almost daily as they pose a big threat to the country’s security and peace.
FETÖ, led by U.S.-based deceased Fethullah Gülen, is accused of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt in Türkiye that killed 251 people and injured nearly 2,200. The group is designated a terrorist group by Türkiye.
Turkish security forces have targeted their active members and sleeper cells nonstop, and their influence has been much reduced since 2016. However, the group maintains a vast network, including infiltrators suspected of still operating within Turkish institutions.
On the other hand, Türkiye was one of the first countries to declare Daesh as a terrorist group in 2013.
The operations reflect Türkiye’s continued efforts to dismantle Daesh’s support networks within its borders and eliminate the group’s global financial mechanisms. Turkish security forces have carried out hundreds of operations in recent years, detaining thousands of suspects.
