Turkish security forces arrested on Friday 43 people in Istanbul for alleged links to ISIS group in simultaneous raids on 15 separate addresses across the city against foreign terrorist fighters.
It was believed that they were members of social media groups linked to Islamic State and that they had been in contact with people in conflict zones, it said.
In related news, at least 40 terrorists have been "neutralized" as part of anti-terror operations across Turkey over the past week, said an Interior Ministry statement on Monday.
In its statement, the ministry said the Turkish Armed Forces carried out 1,898 counter-terror operations on July 16-22 with the assistance of land and air forces.
The statement pointed out that this period saw the arrest of 13 people, on suspicion of links to ISIS, and 11 people on suspicion of links with left-wing terrorist organizations. In addition, 39 kg of explosive materials were seized, as well as 16 grenades, 21 weapons and 1,000 rounds of bullets.
Turkish authorities have stepped up their campaign on ISIS terrorist organization and elements suspected of belonging to it, where more than two years ago Turkey began security operations during which thousands of ISIS members, mostly foreigners, were arrested.
In addition, over 5000 terrorists had been deported and more than 3,000 others imprisoned on charges of belonging to the terrorist organization. From 2015 to early 2017, ISIS carried out a series of terrorist attacks in Turkey that killed more than 300 people and injured dozens. The most recent attack was on a nightclub in Istanbul on January 1, 2017, in which 39 people were killed, and 69 others were injured.
In recent months, the Turkish security and intelligence services have arrested a group of prominent leaders and elements, who were recruited by ISIS, along with others responsible for the manufacture of explosives.
