820 ISIL suspects detained in week-long nationwide raids

Some 820 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) suspects were detained in nationwide simultaneous operations that kicked off on Jan. 30, the Interior Ministry said on Feb. 6. 

Police on Feb. 5 detained 748 suspects in operations. 

The ministry said in yesterday's statement that this added to 72 suspects, who were detained in week-long operations against ISIL.  

The police seized a number of organizational materials, digital materials, two unlicensed pistols, four rifles and 372 cartridges. 

The police said in a written statement that they have been carrying out operation plans against the suspects before conducting simultaneous raids in 29 provinces. 

Connections in Syria, Iraq

The suspects were identified as having connections in Syria and Iraq, where the organization is active the most, attempting to carry out terror acts in Turkey, speeding up their propaganda activities for recruiting purposes and placing Turkey as their most important target for terror acts.

In Istanbul operations, the suspects, which reportedly included key figures of the organization, were taken into custody during simultaneous operations in the Esenler, Şişli, Bağcılar, Bahçelievler, Maltepe, Beyoğlu and Ümraniye districts of Istanbul. 

Meanwhile, at least 14 foreigners, 10 of whom were minors, were sent to the provincial police headquarters for deportation proceedings.

 Turkey in 2016 was hit by a string of attacks blamed on ISIL and the outlawed Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) that left hundreds dead.

Recently, 39 people were killed, mainly foreigners, in the earlier hours of the new year when a gunman went on a rampage inside a posh Istanbul nightclub.

ISIL claimed...