Istanbul – Police in the Turkish capital Ankara on Tuesday detained five Islamic State suspects for allegedly planning attacks on New Year’s Eve, state news agency Anadolu reports.
“The suspects are foreign nationals linked to the extremist group’s ranks in Syria and Iraq,’’ the report said without elaborating further.
However, the alleged attack plans were also not immediately clear.
Anadolu said the police raids continued and that more could be detained.
The report comes amid increased security measures nationwide ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations.
According to the Interior Ministry, more than 317,000 security staff have been deployed for the celebrations across the country.
On Monday, Anadolu reported that 100 Islamic State suspects, including no fewer than 50 foreign nationals were detained in sweeping raids across the country.
Islamic State claimed responsibility for a 2017 Istanbul nightclub attack which killed 39 New Year’s Eve revelers and left 79 wounded.
(dpa/NAN)
