Turkey detains 14 suspects over links to IS

ISTANBUL: Turkish security forces detained Thursday 14 suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) in Turkey’s financial and cultural hub Istanbul.

The Ihlas news agency said police units carried out simultaneous operations in nine districts and captured 14 suspects, including 13 foreigners whose identities were not immediately clear.

The suspects have been allegedly active in Istanbul, recruiting members for the group in Istanbul, spreading propaganda through social media, and providing financial and logistical support.

Since 2015, the IS has carried out a number of assaults in Turkey, including one on a nightclub in Istanbul during New Year’s celebrations on Jan. 1, 2017, in which 39 people were killed.

Abdullah Agar, a security specialist, said the IS remains a big threat to Turkey, with several cell structures spread around the country.