Turkish authorities have arrested nearly 200 people suspected of belonging to the jihadist organization Islamic State (IS), Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Saturday, December 30. The arrests came as part of a series of operations across the country ahead of the New Year celebrations.
In a post on X, Ali Yerlikaya said 189 suspects were arrested in 37 cities, including 27 in Ankara and 22 in Istanbul.
Turkey has in recent months stepped up operations against members of ISIS, which has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks in Turkey, including one on January 1, 2017 at a nightclub in Istanbul that killed 39 people.
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On Friday, the authorities announced the arrest of 32 suspected IS members, including three key members of the group who are suspected of planning attacks, particularly on churches and synagogues as well as on the Iraqi embassy.
Police also announced last week a massive search in 32 cities across the country and the arrests of more than 300 people for alleged ties to ISIS.