Turkish security forces have launched a massive nationwide counter-terrorism operation, detaining 357 suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) across 21 provinces. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, that the coordinated raids targeted cells allegedly planning attacks during New Year’s celebrations. The crackdown follows intelligence that operatives were specifically aiming to target non-Muslims and symbolic gatherings during the holiday period. The operations, spanning cities including Istanbul, Ankara, and Yalova, led to the seizure of weapons, ammunition, and digital materials linking the suspects to active conflict zones.
Turkey detains 357 suspected IS members in nationwide raids: The arrests come just a day after three police officers were killed during a siege in the town of Yalova.
— NewsDot (@NewsDotbyYolft) December 30, 2025
The nationwide raids were triggered by a violent eight-hour siege in the northwestern town of Yalova on Monday. During a pre-dawn raid on a residential hideout in Elmalik village, militants opened fire on security forces, resulting in a deadly gunfight that killed three police officers; İlker Pehlivan, Turgut Külünk, and Yasin Koçyiğit, and six Turkish-national militants. An additional eight police officers and a night watchman were wounded in the exchange, though special forces successfully evacuated five women and six children from the property. In the aftermath, authorities also detained 16 individuals in Yalova for spreading “provocative” social media content related to the clash.
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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan vowed that Turkey would continue its fight against extremist groups “without compromise,” both within its borders and beyond. This latest wave of arrests adds to the 115 suspects detained just last week, as Turkey intensifies its security posture in response to a global resurgence of IS activity. With a 900km border with Syria, Turkish authorities remain on high alert, coordinating with regional partners to dismantle sleeper cells and prevent a repeat of past holiday tragedies, such as the 2017 New Year’s Eve nightclub attack in Istanbul.
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