MALATYA, Turkey
Turkey resolutely continued its fight against terrorism in November, detaining more than 200 Daesh/ISIS-linked suspects.
Turkish security forces conducted anti-Daesh/ISIS operations across the country, including in major cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Adana, Osmaniye, Mersin, Samsun, Gaziantep and Kilis.
According to information compiled by Anadolu Agency, during their operations in November, security forces arrested 238 Daesh/ISIS suspects, including senior members of the terrorist organization, while 71 suspects were remanded in custody by courts, some of which were deported to their countries of origin.
Turkey recognized Daesh/ISIS as a terrorist organization in 2013.
Since then, the country has been attacked by terrorists numerous times, including 10 suicide bombings, seven bombings and four armed attacks which killed 315 people and injured hundreds.
In response, Turkey has launched military and police operations inside the country and abroad.
- November operations
Police anti-terror units arrested 58 foreign nationals who were allegedly linked with Daesh/ISIS in operations in the capital Ankara.
A total of seven suspects were arrested in Turkey’s southern Osmaniye province, including a senior Daesh/ISIS operative who was responsible for the terror group’s training camps in which nearly 2,000 terrorists were trained annually.
Following the killing of Daesh/ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in October, 11 suspects were arrested in Istanbul on charges of plotting a terrorist attack during Turkey’s Republic Day ceremonies. Eight of the 11 were later detained.
One Daesh/ISIS suspect who was caught receiving training in bomb making from Telegram channels close to the terrorist organization was sent to prison.
Four brothers of Syrian origin were detained in Adana for their alleged membership in Daesh/ISIS.
In addition, 29 suspects were held in anti-terror operations against Daesh/ISIS across 11 provinces.
Turkish security forces arrested four Daesh/ISIS terrorists sought by Interpol, including Russian, Moroccan and Kazak nationals.
- Four relatives of dead Daesh/ISIS leader remanded
Four close relatives of al-Baghdadi have been remanded in custody in central Kirsehir province.
After being interrogated at the Kirsehir Provincial Security Directorate, 21 suspects, including two children, were sent to Kirsehir governorship to a repatriation center.
Turkish intelligence and security forces in the southern province of Mersin seized recruitment lists of the Daesh/ISIS terror group which carried the names of its operatives and their nationalities. The list included the names of 3,846 individuals from 81 countries.
A YPG/PKK terrorist also confessed to the alliance between the YPG/PKK terrorist group and Daesh/ISIS, saying the organization has created special emoji codes on WhatsApp for encrypted communication.
According to her, the ringleader of the YPG/PKK, Murat Karayilan, codenamed 'Cemal', wrote a letter commended those who support the actions of Daesh/ISIS by supplying ammunition to collaborating militia.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Nov. 6 the capture of Baghdadi’s wife during a ceremony in Ankara.
Erdogan said the U.S. had turned the killing of Baghdadi into a PR campaign whereas Turkey, which had captured the slain Daesh/ISIS leader's sister, wife and brother-in-law, was refraining from this.
Since 2016, some 13,700 suspects have been detained as part of anti-terror operations against Daesh/ISIS and over 4,500 suspects have been arrested. In addition, around 75,500 foreign nationals with links to Daesh have been banned from entering Turkey.
Within the same period, Turkish security forces "neutralized" 1,018 Daesh/ISIS terrorists.
Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.
Some 1,174 Daesh and 115 al-Qaeda terrorists are in Turkish prisons.
*Writing by Havva Kara Aydin
