Turkish authorities have detained 298 individuals suspected of ties to the ISIS terrorist organization in a sweeping counterterrorism operation across 47 provinces, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced Wednesday.

The two-week operation, coordinated by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices, involved the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), the General Directorate of Security’s Counterterrorism and Intelligence Departments, and local police and gendarmerie units. The raids targeted ISIS cells involved in financial support, propaganda, and terrorism-related activities.

Of the detainees, 159 were apprehended in major cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, Adana, Antalya, Izmir, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, and Şanlıurfa, where they were allegedly operating within active ISIS networks. An additional 139 suspects were detained in provinces such as Aksaray, Artvin, Burdur, Eskişehir, Iğdır, Van, and Zonguldak, primarily for propaganda and funding efforts.

Security forces seized unlicensed firearms, digital materials, and organizational documents during the raids, underscoring the scale of ISIS operations within Türkiye.

Minister Yerlikaya vowed that such operations would continue “without interruption” to ensure national security, signaling further crackdowns in the coming weeks. The operation reflects Türkiye’s ongoing efforts to dismantle ISIS networks, curb foreign fighter movements, and disrupt terrorist financing. (ILKHA)