Turkish intelligence and police carried out sweeping counterterrorism operations across at least 25 provinces, detaining more than 500 suspects linked to the Daesh terrorist group following a series of raids, Turkish authorities said Friday.
The operations, coordinated by Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and the Istanbul Police Department, targeted suspected terrorist cells, foreign fighters and online propaganda networks, officials said. Security forces also seized firearms, ammunition, communications equipment and digital materials during simultaneous raids in multiple cities.
Authorities said the operations intensified after a Dec. 29 raid in the northwestern province of Yalova, where three police officers were killed during a shootout with suspected Daesh militants. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said six suspects were killed in the clash, while eight police officers and one security guard were wounded.
Following the Yalova attack, security forces launched nationwide raids to dismantle what officials described as terrorist networks operating in Türkiye. Prosecutors said the suspects were accused of planning attacks, providing logistical support, financing the group or spreading propaganda.
In Istanbul alone, Turkish prosecutors referred 117 suspects to court as part of an investigation into the Daesh terrorist group, including 41 people allegedly linked to militants involved in a deadly operation in Yalova. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said police had completed questioning of the suspects, who were taken for medical checks before being transferred to the Istanbul courthouse in the Çağlayan district.
In the southern province of Osmaniye, gendarmerie forces arrested a Syrian national identified by prosecutors as H.E., 36, on charges of membership in the Daesh group. He was later formally arrested by a court and transferred to prison. Officials said the investigation was ongoing.
Police detained 42 suspects in the northwestern province of Kocaeli as part of an investigation into alleged activities linked to both Daesh and al-Qaida, authorities said. The operation was launched early on Dec. 29 by the Kocaeli Provincial Police Department, with counterterrorism units supported by special operations forces, resulting in the initial detention of 37 suspects, followed by five additional arrests as the inquiry widened.
Police said searches of the suspects’ homes uncovered a handgun, banned publications and digital materials. Of those detained, 30 were referred to the Kocaeli courthouse, while 12 more were sent to prosecutors a day later.
Judicial proceedings for all 42 suspects were ongoing, officials said.
Eight people were arrested and jailed in the southeastern Turkish province of Şanlıurfa on accusations of praising the Daesh on social media, authorities said.
The Sanliurfa Governorate stated that the investigation was launched under the coordination of the chief public prosecutor after posts were shared online glorifying militants killed during a recent operation in Yalova. Police detained the suspects in raids at identified addresses, and all eight were formally arrested after being referred to court, the statement said.
In Muğla, gendarmerie forces detained 18 suspects in coordinated raids across four provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara and Denizli. All were referred to prosecutors on suspicion of links to Daesh, officials announced.
Additional arrests were reported in the eastern province of Ağrı, where police detained 10 suspects accused of acting in line with the group’s ideology. Authorities said banned publications and digital materials were seized during searches of their homes.
Moreover, four people were formally arrested and six released under judicial supervision after Turkish police detained 10 suspects in an operation targeting Daesh in the western province of Aydin.
Counterterrorism units from the Aydin Provincial Police Department carried out coordinated raids on Thursday against individuals suspected of having links to the militant group, detaining three women among the 10 suspects.
Police said searches of the suspects’ homes led to the seizure of multiple digital materials, which were taken in for forensic examination. All suspects were referred to court on Friday, where four were ordered jailed and the remaining six were released pending trial under judicial control, authorities said.
Turkish officials say the latest operations reflect heightened security measures following the Yalova attack and ongoing efforts to disrupt militant networks nationwide. Investigations into the detained suspects are continuing, authorities emphasized.
Almost a decade ago, the terrorist group was blamed for a series of attacks on civilian targets in Türkiye, including gun attacks on an Istanbul nightclub and the city's main airport, killing dozens of people.
Türkiye considers the Daesh terrorist group one of the biggest threats to the country’s security and peace, as the group faces nationwide raids continually.
