Turkish authorities say they have disrupted planned attacks targeting Christmas and New Year’s celebrations after arresting more than 100 suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) group. The operation, carried out in Istanbul, involved coordinated raids on 124 addresses, resulting in the seizure of firearms, ammunition, and documents linked to the organisation.
The city’s chief prosecutor confirmed that police detained 115 suspects, while efforts are ongoing to track an additional 22 individuals allegedly involved in the plot. Officials said the suspects had been actively planning attacks across Turkey this week, with a particular focus on targeting non-Muslim communities. Investigators also reported that many of those arrested had been in contact with IS operatives abroad.
The announcement follows a recent Turkish intelligence operation on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. In that raid, authorities detained a Turkish national accused of holding a senior role in an IS wing operating in the region and plotting attacks against civilians.
Turkey has long faced security challenges along its 900-kilometre border with Syria, where IS continues to operate in pockets of territory. Turkish security forces regularly conduct counter-terror operations against individuals with suspected links to the group, highlighting ongoing concerns about cross-border extremist activity.
Syria’s president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who maintains close ties with Ankara, has pledged to cooperate with the United States and European partners to eliminate remaining IS elements in the region. This commitment comes amid heightened international efforts to combat the group following a series of attacks in recent months.
The US has stepped up military action against IS positions in Syria in response to the killing of three Americans earlier this month. Two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush by IS gunmen, prompting a wave of air strikes on the group’s strongholds last Friday.
Turkish authorities emphasised that the arrests and seizures in Istanbul were part of a broader effort to prevent attacks and protect civilians during the holiday period. “We continue to monitor and investigate all potential threats,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement, adding that cooperation with international intelligence agencies has been key to identifying and disrupting plots.
The operation in Istanbul demonstrates Turkey’s ongoing vigilance against extremist threats, particularly from IS, and highlights the challenges faced by governments in securing major cities during periods of heightened public gatherings and celebrations. Authorities said that while the immediate threat has been mitigated, investigations are continuing, and further arrests cannot be ruled out.
