ISTANBUL, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye has beefed up nationwide security measures on land and in the sea ahead of the New Year, the Interior Ministry revealed on Thursday.
Nearly 500,000 security personnel, including coast guard teams, gendarme units and police forces, would be on high alert to ensure security between Dec. 30, 2022 and Jan. 1, 2023 mainly by boosting patrols in crowded areas, said a ministry statement.
In coastal provinces, "deterrents and effective measures against migrant smuggling and illegal activities will be continued with the Coast Guard Command units and other law enforcement agencies," the statement added.
According to a government circular sent to all governorships, inspections and controls would be enhanced on tourist sites, shopping centers, marketplaces, airports, ports, subways and stations in Türkiye.
"Security measures will be tightened with shock security practices against attacks and sabotage that may occur in facilities with economic, strategic, and symbolic importance," the circular said.
Meanwhile, the police have stepped up operations against the Islamic State (IS) militants, with at least 40 suspects detained in the capital Ankara and the northwestern city of Bursa on Wednesday, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
In 2017, at least 39 people were killed in an attack on a nightclub in Türkiye's largest city Istanbul during the new year's celebrations. The IS later claimed responsibility for the attack.
In November this year, Istanbul's famous pedestrian Istiklal avenue was hit by a bomb blast, which killed six and wounded 81 others. ■