Turkey arrests 41 Daesh/ISIS, 1 PKK terror suspects

Turkish security forces Friday nabbed 41 Daesh/ISIS suspects and a PKK terror group suspect in anti-terror operations across various parts of the country ahead of the New Year holiday.

At least 11 Daesh/ISIS terror suspects were arrested in operations in the southeastern Gaziantep province, security sources said on Friday.

Raids were carried out in various areas of the Gaziantep province to nab suspects who were actively involved in the terror group’s activities in conflict zones or in contact with known members, according to the sources, who requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Separately, in the central province of Sanliurfa, counter-terror teams began operations against suspects who had entered the country illegally and were suspected of carrying out terrorist activities in Syria and Iraq. Seven Daesh/ISIS suspects were arrested by Turkish security forces in the operations.

In the central Kirikkale province, three Daesh/ISIS suspects were arrested while five foreign national suspects were released on bail.

In the northern Samsun province, anti-terror police launched an operation to nab seven Daesh/ISIS terror suspects, all of them Iraqi nationals. Five suspects were arrested while efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining two.

Anti-terror units in Istanbul nabbed 15 Daesh/ISIS suspects and a PKK suspect during simultaneous operations on Friday.

Mindful of a New Year’s Eve attack several years ago, Turkish forces have stepped up anti-terror operations in the country to prevent possible attacks during the holiday season.

On Thursday, 30 Daesh/ISIS suspects were arrested in the capital Ankara and the southeastern province of Sanliurfa.

Turkey was one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terror group.

The country has since been attacked by the terror organization multiple times. It has carried out at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks and four armed attacks, killing 315 people and injuring hundreds more.

In response, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.