Dozens of Islamic State suspects have been detained in Istanbul ahead of the New Year, and 100 more across all of Turkey.
Multiple anti IS-raids have been conducted across the Nato member state over the past week, with nearly 600 people altogether now in custody.
Interior minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on X, using the Arabic acronym for IS: ‘We captured 125 Daesh suspects in simultaneous operations carried out in 25 provinces this morning.’
When the crackdown began on December 24, Turkish police warned that suspected ISIS members are believed to have been plotting attacks during the Christmas and New Year season.
The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said police obtained information of a planned hit on non-Muslims in particular, during the celebrations.
During another nationwide arrest operation on Monday, IS militants opened fire on police in the northwestern town of Yalova.
Three officers were killed and nine others wounded, the interior minister said.
Six IS militants were also killed in the hours-long gun battle in the town on the shores of the Sea of Marmara about 55 miles southeast of Istanbul.
Ahead of the festivities, Germany and Australia issued travel warnings for Turkey, urging their nationals to exercise caution due to ‘the threat of terrorism’.
‘The period before New Year’s Eve is a particularly symbolic time for terrorist attacks,’ Germany’s foreign ministry said.
‘Exercise particular caution at the turn of the year 2025/2026.’
Australia urged its nationals to ‘be alert to threats, especially in crowded public settings’ because ‘there is an increased risk of terrorist attacks around large gatherings, including New Year celebrations.’
Turkey’s anti-IS raids began just days after its intelligence agency captured a Turkish national who holds a senior IS role in a raid on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, state news agency Anadolu reported on December 22.
The suspect, Mehmet Goren, had allegedly been tasked with organising suicide attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey and Europe.
Islamic State has staged several major attacks in Europe over the past decade, including one in Istanbul on New Year’s Eve.
In the early hours of January 1, 2017, an IS gunman opened fire inside a nightclub on the banks of the Bosphorus, killing 39 people, mostly foreigners.
The Uzbek gunman was captured and sentenced to 40 life jail sentences.
In his comments, Yerlikaya warned anyone seeking to attack Turkey, saying they would ‘face the might of our state and the unity of our nation’.
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