On Friday, Turkish authorities reported that they had detained 32 individuals suspected to have links with the Islamic State (IS). The suspects, according to the authorities, were planning attacks on religious institutions such as synagogues and churches, along with the Iranian embassy. These arrests were the result of an operation dubbed Heros-37, which occurred across nine different cities. The operation primarily targeted three prime suspects as well as 29 individuals linked to them. Subsequent investigations revealed large quantities of digital data aiding ongoing inquiries.
The Islamic State has been responsible for several attacks in Turkey since 2015, the most notable being the Ankara Bombings in October of that year. According to Turkish state media, over 300 fatalities in the country have been attributed to IS-related violence.
The Turkish Minister of the Interior, Ali Yerlikaya, commented on the situation through a tweet, in which he assured the public that all threats from this particular IS cell had been neutralized. He further emphasized Turkey’s firm stance against terrorism and the commitment of the Turkish National Intelligence Agency in maintaining the country’s security.
In similar efforts to curb the activities of the Islamic State, it was recently reported that the Turkish government had apprehended over 300 suspected IS fighters across nearly all major Turkish cities, likely to bolster security ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections.