Turkey: Police apprehend 36 Daesh suspects in raids

By Arif Yakici and Serkan Guner

ISTANBUL

At least 36 Daesh suspects were arrested in separate counterterrorism operations on Sunday, security sources said.

In a counterterrorism operation in Istanbul's Bayrampasa, Zeytinburnu, Basaksehir, Esenyurt, Tuzla and Umraniye districts, 32 Daesh suspects were apprehended. Police helicopters took part in the operation, said the source who asked not to be named due to restriction on speaking to the media.

The suspects, all foreigners, were allegedly planning an attack, the source added.

In a separate operation conducted by police in the central Kirsehir and Eskisehir provinces, four suspects were taken into custody for being linked to Daesh terrorist Abdulkhaleq Abdulqader Ali, who last week posted a video on social media apparently showing him shooting his brother in the head.

During the search, police seized a Daesh flag, documents and $50,000.