In a post shared on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, Yerlikaya said the suspects were arrested during simultaneous counterterrorism operations carried out in 21 provinces, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu.
He noted that the operations were conducted by provincial police units in coordination with chief public prosecutors’ offices, as well as police counterterrorism and intelligence departments.
Yerlikaya stressed that Türkiye would maintain a zero-tolerance approach toward terrorism.
Earlier, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office reported that 110 suspects were arrested in the city. According to the statement, 41 of those detained were linked to terrorists involved in Monday’s attack in Yalova province and were allegedly planning similar attacks in Istanbul during New Year’s celebrations.
Separately, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said it had issued arrest warrants for 17 ISIS suspects, including 11 foreign nationals.
The suspects, among them 11 foreign citizens, are accused of membership in the terrorist organization and of maintaining contact with conflict zones. The statement added that the Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau identified the suspects through analyses of digital materials seized during previous Daesh-related investigations.
