Turkish security forces on Tuesday arrested more than 200 people suspected of links to the self-styled Islamic State and other groups Ankara deems terrorist organizations, prosecutors said.
NATO leaders will gather in the Turkish capital Ankara for the Alliance’s annual summit next month, and the government has started implementing security measures and stepping up policing in anticipation.
US President Donald Trump and the leaders of the other 31 member states are expected at the summit on July 7-8.
What do we know about Tuesday’s arrests?
The Ankara prosecutor’s office said that 241 arrest warrants had been issued and that 209 people had been detained.
Police operations seeking the suspects were ongoing.
Prosecutors said that 56 of those arrested were alleged members of the so-called Islamic Stategroup and 35 were members of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C), a communist group designated a terrorist organization by Turkey that has claimed responsibility for past attacks.
Turkish media also reported on a separate operation targeting the DHKP-C, coordinated by prosecutors in Istanbul, that led to 24 arrests across eight provinces.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
How is Turkey tightening security ahead of the NATO summit?
Turkey has long faced violent threats from several internal dissident groups and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan‘s government frequently carries out security sweeps.
Last month, investigators carried out a nationwide sweep targeting Islamic State suspects, rounding up 324 people.
Ankara authorities plan strict security measures for the July 7-8 NATO summit.
It has announced that public demonstrations will be banned starting on June 28 until the event is complete.
Access to roads leading to airports will be restricted, and areas around the summit venue and hotels hosting delegations are set to be sealed off.
Edited by: Rana Taha
Don’t let the algorithm hide the news. If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as a preferred source on Google, so you’ll always see our verified news first.
About The Author
