Turkish authorities on Tuesday detained 11 individuals in Istanbul on alleged links to terrorist group Islamic State (IS) and spreading extremist propaganda on social media.
The arrests followed a coordinated investigation by the Istanbul Police Department’s Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence branches, conducted under the supervision of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The prosecutor’s office stated that the investigation identified the suspects’ identities and addresses, uncovering a network involved in IS-related activities.
Police have taken the 11 suspects into custody for further questioning.
Officials said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to prevent terrorist activities and curb online extremist propaganda in the city.
Turkey officially designated IS as a terrorist organisation in 2013 and has since been targeted by the group in multiple attacks.
In response, Ankara has launched numerous counter-terrorism operations both at home and abroad.
(Xinhua/NAN)