Turkish security forces have detained 115 suspects operating on behalf of the ISIL terrorist organization for preparing terrorist attacks targeting New Year’s celebrations in Istanbul, security sources said on Dec. 25.
Prosecutors and police in Istanbul said intelligence indicated that ISIL members were planning assaults coinciding with Christmas and New Year’s events, including potential attacks specifically targeting non-Muslim individuals in Türkiye.
Authorities issued arrest warrants for 137 suspects believed to be linked to ISIL conflict zones and, in some cases, already wanted on terrorism charges at the national and international levels.
Simultaneous raids were carried out at 124 locations across the city, during which numerous firearms, ammunition and organizational documents were seized. A total of 115 suspects were taken into custody.
In January 2024, two gunmen attacked a Catholic church in Istanbul, killing one man during Sunday Mass.
Türkiye has intensified intelligence and counterterrorism operations in recent years against ISIL networks operating both domestically and abroad.
The Dec. 25 operation came days after a major intelligence-led operation along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, where Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) captured a Turkish national accused of serving in a senior role within ISIL.
The suspect, identified as Mehmet Gören, allegedly helped plan suicide attacks targeting civilians in Türkiye, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Europe.
MİT determined that Gören had traveled from Türkiye to the Afghanistan–Pakistan region, where he operated in ISIL camps and rose through the group’s hierarchy.
