Turkish Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced the arrest of nine individuals, part of a group of 22 detained, in connection with the recent devastating forest fires that have swept across several provinces in Türkiye.

In a statement on X, Tunç outlined that these arrests are the result of ongoing investigations conducted by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices across seven provinces, including Aydın, Muğla, İzmir, Manisa, Tunceli, Bolu, and Uşak.

As of now, the legal actions taken are as follows:

- Out of the 22 suspects detained, nine have been formally arrested.

- Five suspects are under judicial control.

- One suspect has been released after providing a statement to the authorities.

- Seven suspects remain in custody while investigations continue.

The minister stressed that the investigations are thorough and approach the issue from multiple perspectives to determine the origins and perpetrators of the fires. He highlighted the critical importance of safeguarding Türkiye’s forests, which he referred to as a vital source of life.

Tunç extended his best wishes to the citizens affected by the fires and expressed deep gratitude to the teams working relentlessly to protect the nation’s green spaces. "I once again convey my best wishes to our citizens affected by the fires and express my gratitude to all our teams who are working tirelessly to protect our #GreenHomeland," he stated.

The forest fires have caused significant damage in the impacted regions, with emergency services and volunteers tirelessly working to control the blazes and mitigate further destruction. (ILKHA)