Damascus (Monitoring Desk): Turkish authorities have arrested 115 suspected ISIS members on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks during the year-end holidays.
According to the Istanbul Prosecutor General, the operation was based on intelligence reports indicating that ISIS intended to carry out attacks during Christmas and New Year celebrations. The prosecutor’s office stated that a total of 137 individuals were ordered to be detained, of whom 115 have been apprehended. The arrests took place during raids at various locations, and further investigations are ongoing. Officials said the operation aimed to reduce the threat of terrorism in the country.
Turkey shares an approximately 900-kilometer-long border with Syria, where extremist groups remain active. A recent ISIS attack in mid-December in Syria killed two U.S. soldiers and one civilian. Authorities have stated that terrorist activities in border areas are being closely monitored to thwart any potential threats.
Meanwhile, Syrian authorities reported that in a joint operation with the U.S.-led international coalition, ISIS senior official Taha al-Zoubi, also known as Abu Omar Tabiya, was arrested in Damascus along with several of his associates.
