On Friday, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the arrest of 88 members suspected of affiliating with the terrorist group ISIS.
Yerlikaya detailed the operation in a post on the “X” platform, revealing that the arrests were the culmination of a five-day coordinated effort between the intelligence and anti-terrorism departments of the General Directorate of Security, according to Turkey’s Anadolu Agency.
Minister Yerlikaya stated, “The arrests of these 88 suspects are part of ongoing operations against ISIS in 23 provinces.”
Turkish security forces have intensified raids to target ISIS elements in response to several deadly attacks claimed by the group over the years, which have resulted in numerous deaths and injuries.
Among the most notorious incidents orchestrated by ISIS in Turkey was the New Year’s Eve attack in 2017, targeting a nightclub in Istanbul which resulted in 39 fatalities and 79 injuries.
The Iraqi National Intelligence Service announced that six ISIS members were killed in an airstrike conducted by F-16 aircraft targeting a terrorist cell in Kirkuk province, 250 km north of Baghdad.
The intelligence service stated in a press release that “through technical effort, surveillance, and planning by the targeting cell in the Joint Operations Command, the Air Force carried out three painful strikes today using F-16 aircraft, resulting in the death of a terrorist cell consisting of six ISIS elements.”
The presence of ISIS in Iraq remains a significant security concern, despite their territorial defeat in 2017. In recent years, ISIS has continued to operate through sleeper cells, carrying out attacks across Iraq and Syria.
Recent military actions have included significant joint operations by Iraqi and U.S. forces targeting ISIS leadership and infrastructure. For instance, a recent raid in Iraq’s western desert resulted in the death of a senior ISIS commander and disrupted the group’s operational capabilities.
