Turkey arrests 147 people for ties to IS

Turkish authorities have arrested 147 people on suspicion of links to Islamic State. This is what Minister Yerlikaya of the Interior says. According to him, police actions were carried out simultaneously throughout the country.

Authorities took action in more than thirty provinces in Turkey. According to the minister, large amounts of foreign currency, documents and devices have also been seized. Yeslikaya says that “our fight against terrorism will continue until the last terrorist is killed”.

The Turkish authorities suspect the 147 people of participating in a terrorist organization, carrying out terrorist activities and financing a terrorist organization.

Attacks

Turkey has taken several actions in recent years against people suspected of ties to Islamic State. At the end of December, another 300 people were arrested for ties to IS.

The terrorist organization claimed responsibility for several terrorist attacks committed in Turkey. These included an attack on a nightclub in Istanbul that killed 39 people in January 2017 and a suicide bombing at Ankara’s central station that killed more than 100 people in 2015. The Afghan branch of IS claimed responsibility for last Friday’s attack on a concert hall in Moscow.

Last year, President Erdogan said that the Turkish secret service killed the then leader of IS in Syria. IS has confirmed the death of this man, Abu Hussein al-Qurayshi, but said a Turkish-backed organization was behind it.