Turkey detains 357 IS suspects nationwide following Yalova siege
Turkey has detained 357 IS suspects across 21 provinces in coordinated nationwide raids. These operations followed an eight-hour siege in Yalova which resulted in the deaths of three police officers and six militants, and left eight police officers and one security force member injured. Authorities had previously arrested 115 suspects the week before over plans to attack non-Muslims during Christmas and New Year.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that raids occurred nationwide, including in Ankara, Istanbul, and Yalova, and reaffirmed Turkey's stance that it will not bow to terrorism. In Istanbul, 110 detainees were held across the city and two other provinces; 41 of these had suspected links to the Yalova clash. Weapons such as knives and bullets were seized during the raids. Additionally, sixteen individuals were detained in Yalova for provocative social media posts.
Funerals for the three police officers killed — İlker Pehlivan, Turgut Külünk, and Yasin Koçyiğit — were held following the siege. President Erdoğan offered condolences and pledged to continue the fight against criminals.
This crackdown occurs amid wider context of IS operations in Syria. The U.S. recently conducted air strikes in Syria after IS militants killed three Americans. Earlier in the month, IS gunmen killed two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter.
