Turkish security forces detain several Daesh suspects in three provinces

In anti-terror operations against Daesh in three provinces centred in Istanbul, Turkish security forces have detained 15 suspects, and 10 were later arrested, according to an official statement.

Coordinated efforts led by the Istanbul Security Directorate's counterterrorism and intelligence branches and the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) aimed to capture 20 suspects linked to Daesh's so-called Khorasan Province (ISKP) network in Türkiye, said a police statement on Tuesday.

Operations were carried out at 23 addresses, including one each in the provinces of Kocaeli and Yalova, and eight districts in the Istanbul metropolis.

It said 12 suspects were detained, along with three more suspects, including two from the ongoing operation and one related to the January 28 attack on Istanbul’s Santa Maria Church, in which one person was killed.

Out of the total 15 suspects, five were placed under judicial control measures, while 10 were arrested and remanded to correctional facilities, it added.

Tuesday’s operations follow the arrest of seventeen suspected members of the Daesh terrorist organisation on Saturday, who Turkish authorities say are linked to the church attack.

In 2013, Türkiye became one of the first countries to declare Daesh a terrorist organisation.

The country has since been attacked by the terror group multiple times, with over 300 people killed and hundreds more injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed attacks. In response, Türkiye launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.