Türkiye arrests 115 ISIS suspects over alleged Christmas and New Year attack plots

Turkish authorities say they have arrested 115 suspected members of the Islamic State in a major counter-terrorism operation aimed at preventing attacks during the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

In a statement on Thursday, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said the suspects were detained during more than 100 coordinated raids across Istanbul province. Prosecutors said the group had been planning attacks targeting non-Muslims in Türkiye during the festive season.

A total of 137 arrest warrants were issued, with 115 people taken into custody so far. Police seized pistols, ammunition and a large quantity of organisational material during the raids, according to authorities. Efforts are continuing to locate the remaining suspects.

The arrests come amid heightened counter-terrorism activity across the country. Earlier this week, state news agency Anadolu reported that Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization, known as MIT, had captured a senior Islamic State figure in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.

Earlier this month, Turkish police also detained 233 people suspected of financing or having links to the extremist group. Türkiye formally designated the Islamic State a terrorist organisation in 2013.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously said Turkish security forces have carried out more than 1,400 operations against Islamic State targets since then, as part of ongoing efforts to prevent attacks and dismantle extremist networks.

🚨⚡️ Turkey thwarts terrorist plots for Christmas and arrests 115 suspects believed to be planning attacks on non-Muslim citizens during Christmas and New Year’s.

— And the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office issued 137 arrest warrants targeting elements of the Islamic State… pic.twitter.com/0lPmudbqpi

— RussiaNews 🇷🇺 (@mog_russEN) December 25, 2025