Turkish security forces have apprehended 115 individuals suspected of links to the terror group Islamic State during extensive counter-terrorism operations across Istanbul on Thursday morning.
Officers from the city's Counter-Terrorism Department conducted coordinated raids at 124 separate addresses, acting on intelligence that the extremist organisation had been calling for attacks during the festive season.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that investigators had uncovered evidence suggesting Isis was encouraging violence against non-Muslims over the Christmas and New Year period.
According to authorities, those detained were believed to be actively planning attacks aimed at crowded public gatherings during upcoming celebrations.
Arrest warrants remain outstanding for 22 additional suspects, with the operation still ongoing.
During the raids, police recovered firearms, ammunition, and documents described by officials as connected to the terrorist organisation.
Prosecutors revealed that those in custody had been communicating with Isis operatives based outside Turkey, prompting concerns about international coordination and direction from abroad.
While specific targets were not disclosed, authorities indicated the suspected plots focused on locations expected to draw large crowds during Christmas and New Year festivities.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that investigators had uncovered evidence suggesting Isis was encouraging violence against non-Muslims over the Christmas and New Year period
|GETTY
The mass arrests followed shortly after Turkish intelligence announced a distinct operation targeting Isis networks operating beyond the country's borders.
Earlier this week, Turkish agents captured a Turkish citizen alleged to have occupied a senior role within an Isis-affiliated group active in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, where he reportedly assisted in planning civilian attacks.
Turkey's position bordering Syria, where Isis remnants persist despite sustained military campaigns, leaves Ankara particularly exposed to security threats.
The country shares a frontier of nearly 900 kilometres with its southern neighbour, and Turkish forces routinely target suspected Isis cells in major urban centres.
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An image of an Isis fighter flying an Isis flag | ReutersIstanbul has suffered devastating attacks at the hands of the group previously, most notably the 2017 New Year's Eve assault on a nightclub that claimed 39 lives.
Between 2016 and 2017, Isis perpetrated multiple bombings and shootings throughout Turkey.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who maintains strong relations with Ankara, has committed to collaborating with Washington and European allies to eradicate remaining elements of Isis in his country.
Thursday's arrests in Istanbul reflect heightened global anxiety over Islamic State's apparent resurgence across multiple continents.
A stock image of an Isis fighter | GETTYWestern intelligence services have cautioned that the organisation is working to restore its operational capabilities in Syria and Iraq, while simultaneously building networks in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and African nations.
The group has escalated ambushes and assaults against local and international forces in Syria, prompting American air strikes last week following the deaths of two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter in an Isis ambush.
Isis is now pushing for supporters to carry out a "Season of Terror" against non-believers over the festive period.
An Isis newsletter taunts Western authorities, declaring there is no prospect of this state of alert ending.
The US conducted airstrikes against Isis targets last week
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The newsletter explicitly instructs followers to target crowds during religious holidays.
It stated: "Engage in the crowds of Christians and Jews in the heart of Europe, America, and the Jewish state, running them over with buses, beating them, and smashing them with heavy hammers."
The publication glorifies previous atrocities, specifically praising the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack that saw a Jihadist deliberately drive a lorry into shoppers.
Isis attempted to justify bloodshed through extremist interpretations of Islamic scripture, urging followers to confront religious holidays "with both word and sword."
The newsletter framed violence during Christian and Jewish celebrations as a sacred duty, calling on "knights of Da'wah and Jihad" to act.