MALATYA, Turkey
Turkey has continued its struggle against the Daesh terror group, also known as ISIS, in 2020, landing a heavy blow and preventing attacks throughout the country.
Turkish security forces maintained pressure on the group with operations in the country and on its borders, and particularly in the metropolis Istanbul and capital Ankara, as well as the western Izmir province, central Konya and southeastern Gaziantep.
According to figures compiled by Anadolu Agency, authorities detained 2,343 suspects, including so-called senior members of the group, seizing large amounts of documents, weapons and ammunition.
Of those detained, 333 were arrested and many others deported, while proceedings continue for many suspects caught in the last week of December. Still others were handed prison sentences after being convicted in a court of law.
January
On New Year's Eve, five Syrian nationals and one Iraqi were detained in Ankara for allegedly preparing to attack police. Four of the suspects were arrested.
A Danish citizen wanted by Interpol with a red notice for alleged membership in Daesh/ISIS was caught by Turkish intelligence officers in the southeastern Kilis province near the Syrian border.
February
One of the seven suspects thought to be a relative of killed Daesh ringleader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was arrested in Kirsehir province of central Turkey. Those in the group who were released were handed over to migration officials to be deported.
A Syrian national suspected of being the so-called emir of the terror group in Syria was detained with two others for allegedly participating in armed activities.
Two suspected relatives of al-Baghdadi, Mohammed Dhajer Talab and Mohammed Mahmood Mohammed, were convicted of being members of an armed terrorist organization and sentenced to over six years each in prison in the central Kayseri province.
March
Four more suspected relatives of al-Baghdadi were also sentenced to six years and three months each in prison for being members of a terrorist organization.
April
Four Syrian women, including one suspected of being the wife of a so-called Daesh/ISIS emir, thought to have links to the terror group were detained in the southern Hatay province after entering Turkey from Syria.
May
Halis Bayancuk, code-named Ebu Hanzala and known senior member of the terror group, was arrested once again upon an appeal after a court ruled for his release. Authorities detained him before he could leave the penitentiary.
June
A suspect allegedly among the so-called senior members of Daesh/ISIS in Gaziantep was detained. The suspect, who was reported to have ordered the murder of two Turkish soldiers in Syria, was remanded in custody.
Two Russian national Chechen women wanted by Interpol for alleged membership in the terror group were caught in Kilis in a joint operation of intelligence officers and police.
July
Four Russian women and a French national wanted with a red notice by Interpol were caught on the Syrian border for alleged Daesh/ISIS membership.
August
Mahmut Ozden, the so-called Daesh/ISIS emir in Turkey, who is accused of coordinating sensational attacks on strategic locations and state officials was caught in southern Adana province and later arrested.
September
A suspect was arrested in an operation in Istanbul while allegedly preparing to launch an attack. He was found to be in contact with Ozden and the son of another suspect arrested in the same operation that nabbed the so-called emir.
In the northwestern Sakarya province, Bayancuk was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for establishing or leading an armed terrorist organization.
October
Seven suspects were caught as part of an investigation conducted by the Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office. It was reported that one of the suspects was an alleged "executioner" while two had participated in armed clashes.
Intelligence personnel assessed had that they could be preparing to launch attacks on the country's founding on Oct. 29, as well as the death anniversary of its founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Daesh member Soumaya Raissi, who was wanted by France with a red notice, was caught in Adana province.
November
In an operation against the terror group in Kayseri, four suspects of Syrian nationality, including the group's so-called Raqqa emir and its executioner were caught.
December
Eleven suspects were detained in an operation in Izmir, including one Ramazan O. found to have had contacts with another person linked to the recent terror attack in the Austrian capital Vienna. Ramazan O. was arrested along with two other suspects, while the rest were released on judicial control.
Four of the seven suspects caught in an operation in Adana were arrested, the suspects were allegedly planning to attack state and political party buildings, as well as police and soldiers, over the arrest of Ozden and the operations against Daesh/ISIS.
