Turkish authorities have successfully disrupted a series of planned attacks by the so-called Islamic State group, specifically targeting non-Muslims and events during the Christmas and New Year's period. This significant operation involved mass raids conducted at 124 addresses across Istanbul, leading to the arrest of 115 suspected IS members. During these raids, police seized firearms, ammunition, and crucial 'organisational documents', according to the capital's chief prosecutor. Officials confirmed that IS supporters had been actively planning these attacks across Turkey this week, with a particular focus on non-Muslim communities.

Efforts are currently underway to trace an additional 22 suspects who are believed to be part of the network. The prosecutor's office highlighted the international dimension of the plot, stating that the detained suspects were in contact with IS operatives located outside of Turkey. This operation in Istanbul follows closely on the heels of another major intelligence action two days prior, where Turkish agents conducted a raid on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. In that operation, a Turkish national, alleged to have held a senior role within an IS wing operating in the region, was detained and accused of orchestrating attacks against civilians.

Turkey's security services maintain a consistent focus on individuals suspected of having ties to the Islamic State, a necessity given the country's extensive 900km (560 mile) border with Syria, where the group continues to operate in various regions. In a broader international effort against the group, Syria's president Ahmed al-Sharaa, who reportedly has close ties to the Turkish government, has publicly committed to collaborating with the United States and European nations to eradicate the remaining elements of IS within Syria. This pledge comes amid recent actions from the US, which launched a wave of air strikes against IS positions across Syria on Friday. These strikes were a direct response to a deadly ambush earlier this month that resulted in the killing of three Americans – two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter – by IS gunmen.