ISTANBUL, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police on Tuesday detained 357 suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) in coordinated counterterrorism operations across 21 provinces, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.
In a statement on social media platform X, Yerlikaya said the operations were carried out simultaneously under the coordination of chief public prosecutors' offices, counterterrorism and intelligence units.
"Just as we have never allowed those who seek to bring this country to its knees through terrorism to succeed, we will never allow it in the future," Yerlikaya stated.
Earlier in the day, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office reported that 110 suspects were detained in a major operation in Istanbul. Among them, 41 are believed to have links to the perpetrators of a deadly attack in the northwestern province of Yalova on Monday, during which three police officers and six suspected IS members were killed in a prolonged gunfight.
Türkiye has intensified operations against IS in recent weeks, as intelligence assessments have warned of heightened security threats during the New Year holiday period. ■
