Ankara, Turkey – Turkish authorities have arrested more than 350 suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) in a sweeping nationwide operation, one day after a deadly siege in the northwestern town of Yalova left three police officers and six alleged militants dead.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 357 suspects were detained in simultaneous raids across 21 provinces on Tuesday, including Ankara, Istanbul and Yalova. He described the operation as part of a broader effort to “give no opportunity” to armed extremists operating on Turkish soil.
The latest raids came less than a week after security forces arrested 115 people accused of plotting attacks on non-Muslims during Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Authorities say documents, digital materials and weapons — including knives and ammunition — were seized during Tuesday’s searches. The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said intelligence indicated some of those detained were preparing attacks for New Year’s Day, and that at least 41 suspects had links to Monday’s standoff in Yalova.
That siege unfolded when counter-terrorism police moved on a suspected IS safe house in a rural area of the town. After hours of heavy gunfire, three officers died of their wounds and several others were injured, while six suspected IS militants were killed. Women and children were evacuated from the building, officials said.
In a post on X, Yerlikaya said Turkey “has never given and will never give” space to those seeking to “bring this country to its knees with terrorism.” He also confirmed that an additional 16 people in Yalova were detained for making “provocative” social media posts about the incident.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan offered condolences to the families of the fallen officers, vowing to continue the fight against “bloodthirsty criminals who threaten the peace of our nation and the security of our state.”
Turkey has faced repeated plots and attacks by IS-linked networks over the past decade, including foiled plans targeting churches and synagogues and deadly assaults on civilians in major cities. The country’s long border with Syria — where IS remnants still operate — has made it a key frontline state in regional counter-terrorism efforts.
The latest operations follow a pattern of large, coordinated crackdowns on IS cells inside Turkey throughout 2025, with hundreds of suspects detained in earlier waves. Officials say security services will maintain heightened alert into the new year amid concerns about further plots against religious minorities and public gatherings.
