Security forces arrest 12 Daesh suspects in Istanbul

Twelve Daesh suspects were arrested on Tuesday in an operation in Istanbul as Türkiye continues its decisive war against terrorist groups. Istanbul Police Department Counterterrorism and Intelligence Branch teams continue their work to disrupt and expose the activities of the terrorist organization Daesh. Teams identified the identities and addresses of suspects who were using a closed-system internet-based instant messaging program that shared various training videos, including bomb-making and current propaganda activities and who were believed to be sharing pro-organizational posts on social media and seeking action. Teams conducted simultaneous operations at 17 addresses across nine districts in the city, detaining 12 suspects. Searches at these addresses also yielded numerous digital materials, two unlicensed pistols and 13 rounds of ammunition. 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. Türkiye was one of the first countries to declare it a terrorist group in 2013. In December last year, Turkish security forces detained 32 suspects over alleged links with Daesh who were planning attacks on churches and synagogues, as well as the Iraqi Embassy. Terrorists from Daesh and other groups, such as the PKK and its Syrian wing, the YPG, rely on a network of members and supporters in Türkiye and abroad.