Turkish authorities detained over 200 individuals, including alleged militants linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) and a far-left organization, in a large-scale raid across the capital city of Ankara. The operation, which saw detention orders issued for 241 suspects, resulted in the apprehension of 209 people, according to a statement from the Turkish chief prosecutor's office.
Among those taken into custody, 56 are identified as alleged ISIS militants. This action follows a similar operation in December where Turkish authorities reported detaining 125 ISIS members. The current raid also led to the arrest of 35 individuals accused of belonging to the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front, described by Turkish authorities as a far-left group responsible for armed attacks and assassinations within Turkey.
The detentions occur shortly before a planned NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8, an event that President Donald Trump is expected to attend. The ongoing ISIS-combating operations highlight the group's continued activity in the region, despite efforts by the U.S. and its allies to dismantle its territorial caliphate in the Middle East. In recent years, ISIS has expanded its presence into Africa, prompting U.S. military responses, including strikes authorized by President Trump in Nigeria in May that resulted in the death of ISIS leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the group's second-in-command globally.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA World Cup Task Force, has previously discussed ISIS calls for lone-wolf attacks, including threats directed at U.S. soil during the World Cup.