Istanbul, May 20 (IANS): Turkish Police on Monday detained 20 suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) in a large operation in Turkey's western province of Izmir, local media reported.
As part of the investigation conducted by the Izmir Public Prosecutor's Office Terrorism Crimes Investigation Bureau, several simultaneous operations were carried out in the Menemen district, according to the state-run TRT broadcaster, reported Xinhua News Agency.
Police units seized weapons, organisational documents, and many digital materials during the searches at the addresses, TRT said, noting that the suspects were referred to the courthouse for further procedures.
Turkey, which listed IS as a terror organisation in 2013, has faced multiple attacks from the extremist group. In response, Turkish authorities have initiated counter-terrorism operations both domestically and internationally.