Turkish authorities have disrupted planned attacks targeting Christmas and New Year festivities following the arrest of more than 100 suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) group, officials said on Friday.
According to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, security forces carried out coordinated raids at 124 locations across the city, leading to the arrest of 115 suspects.
Firearms, ammunition and what prosecutors described as organisational documents linked to IS were recovered during the operation.
Security agencies are continuing efforts to track down at least 22 additional suspects believed to be connected to the network.
Prosecutors said intelligence gathered ahead of the raids indicated that IS operatives and supporters were actively planning attacks across Turkey during the festive period, with a particular focus on events associated with non-Muslim communities. Investigators also disclosed that several of the suspects were in contact with IS-linked operatives outside Turkey, heightening concerns about cross-border coordination.
The Istanbul operation followed a separate counterterrorism action earlier in the week by Turkish intelligence services near the Afghanistan–Pakistan border.
In that operation, authorities arrested a Turkish national alleged to be a senior figure within an IS-affiliated group in the region.
The suspect is accused of planning attacks against civilians, according to security officials.
Turkey has intensified counterterrorism operations against IS in recent years, frequently carrying out large-scale arrests to dismantle sleeper cells and logistical networks.
The country shares a roughly 900-kilometre border with Syria, where IS remnants remain active despite the group’s loss of territorial control.
Separately, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose administration maintains close relations with Ankara, has pledged to cooperate with the United States and European partners to eliminate remaining IS elements in the region.
The United States recently carried out air strikes against IS targets in Syria following the killing of three American nationals earlier this month.
Turkish authorities said investigations into the disrupted plots are ongoing and confirmed that security measures have been reinforced nationwide to ensure public safety throughout the holiday period.