Turkey Intensifies Arrests of Suspects Linked to ISIS Ahead of New Year Celebrations

On Sunday, the Turkish government increased the arrests of suspects believed to be collaborating with the Islamic State group and extremist Islamists, just before the New Year celebrations and the anniversary of the nightclub attack that left 39 dead. Minutes after the start of 2017 in Istanbul, an armed Uzbek man, identified as a member of the Islamic State, entered the 'Reina' nightclub and opened fire on attendees, most of whom were foreign tourists. Turkey did not experience a serious attack in 2017, and security forces have heightened their measures to prevent another attack during the New Year celebrations of 2018. In preventive actions on Sunday, Turkish security forces arrested 20 suspects in Istanbul connected to the Islamic State, 15 of whom are foreign nationals reportedly residing in Syria or Iraq for some time. Additionally, five other suspects, including three Syrian citizens, one Iraqi, and one Chechen, were arrested in Ankara. Turkish media reported that more arrests had been made in recent days, with nearly 200 jihadist and Islamic extremist suspects, including 75 in Istanbul and Ankara, detained on Friday on suspicion of planning an attack during the New Year celebrations. Some reports indicate that the Turkish government is paying special attention to Islamic State fighters who have fled from Raqqa in Syria, which was liberated from ISIS by Kurdish fighters, and many of these ISIS forces are said to have returned to Turkey. Approximately 37,000 police forces have been deployed to ensure security in Istanbul, double the number present last year. Additionally, 4,000 gendarmerie and coast guard forces are on standby. Meanwhile, officials have not allowed New Year celebrations to take place in crowded areas such as Taksim Square in Istanbul, Besiktas, or the Sisli shopping center. Reports indicate that security forces have gone to Taksim Square disguised as lottery ticket sellers or vendors selling roasted nuts to ensure security. In some tourist boats in Istanbul, passengers are being subjected to body searches, and the transfer of heavy essential goods to the city center of Istanbul has been banned from Sunday morning to Monday morning. In Ankara, security measures have also been intensified, with 9,700 police forces stationed in the Turkish capital. In related news, Turkey reported the arrest of eight suspects connected to the deadly Reina nightclub attack in Istanbul, with ISIS claiming responsibility for the attack that resulted in at least 39 deaths among citizens from various Middle Eastern countries.