At least 17 people have been arrested in Istanbul, Türkiye, on suspicion of financing the terrorist group Daesh/ISIS, security sources said on Tuesday.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office conducted investigations based on the country’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) reports that 20 people were allegedly involved in financing the Daesh/ISIS terror group through companies and individuals operating between conflict zones and Türkiye, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
The prosecutor’s office issued arrest warrants for the suspects who were found to have transferred money to individuals whose assets had been frozen due to their links to the Daesh/ISIS terror group.
Seventeen of the 20 suspects were apprehended, and a search is underway for the remaining three suspects.
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.