ANKARA

Turkish police have arrested 22 foreign nationals affiliated with the Daesh/ISIS terrorist organization during an anti-terror operation in the capital Ankara, security sources said on Monday.

Police teams conducted an anti-terror operation to arrest 27 suspects over their links to the terrorist group, according to the sources who requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The operation was initiated over the suspicion that the suspects were in contact with members of the Daesh/ISIS in conflict zones and carried out activities for the terrorist organization in the past years, the sources said.

The arrests were made in the operation carried out across Ankara, and the remaining suspects are sought by the police, the sources added.

In 2013, Türkiye became one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terrorist organization.

The country has since been attacked by the terror group multiple times, with over 300 people killed and hundreds more injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed attacks.

In response, Türkiye launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.