ISTANBUL, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police on Thursday detained 115 suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) group in a large-scale counterterrorism operation over alleged plans to carry out attacks in the country, authorities said.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said that the arrest was made based on intelligence that the suspects had been circulating calls for violence linked to the Christmas and New Year holiday season, with potential targets including members of non-Muslim communities.
Coordinated raids were conducted across multiple districts of Istanbul, and police seized handguns, ammunition and a large quantity of organizational documents. Officials said the operation is part of heightened security measures aimed at preventing disruptions during the holiday season in Istanbul, a city with a population of about 16 million.
Türkiye officially designated the IS group as a terrorist organization in 2013. ■