Turkey arrests more than 100 Daesh suspects in June

By Volkan Kasik

MALATYA, Turkey

More than 100 suspected Daesh terrorists were arrested in Turkey last month, according to figures compiled from law enforcement agency records.

Of the 106 arrests, 32 were detained in custody pending trial. The remaining suspects were deported, released on bail pending further investigation or released with no extra action to be taken.

Among those kicked out of Turkey were 19 Tajikistan nationals arrested in Istanbul on June 3.

The arrests occurred across Turkey -- in the southern provinces of Gaziantep, Kilis, Mersin, Kahramanmaras and Antalya; Izmir and Manisa in the west; Yozgat and Ankara in central Anatolia; and Bursa and Istanbul in the northwest.

Police, gendarmerie and military records examined by Anadolu Agency include details of weapons, cash, computers and documents seized during the arrests.

According to Interior Minister Efkan Ala on Thursday, 1,654 suspected Daesh members have been arrested so far this year of which 791 were non-Turks. Of those arrested, 663 were remanded in custody.

In addition, the military has targeted Daesh positions in northern Syria, killing at least 230 terrorists.

The arrest figures were compiled following Tuesday’s attack on Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport in which 44 people were killed and more than 200 injured. Thirteen people have been arrested in connection with the attack, which has been attributed to Daesh.