Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) has captured 10 suspected ISIS terrorists in Syria and transferred them to Türkiye following a joint operation conducted in coordination with Syrian intelligence services, according to security sources.
The operation targeted individuals suspected of maintaining links to ISIS activities and networks associated with past terrorist attacks inside Türkiye. The suspects, all Turkish nationals, were apprehended during intelligence-led raids before being transported back to Türkiye for further investigation and legal proceedings.
According to security sources cited by Anadolu Agency, one of the detained suspects was linked to perpetrators of the 2015 Ankara Train Station bombing, one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Türkiye’s history. The attack killed more than 100 people and injured hundreds of others when twin suicide bombers targeted a peace rally in the Turkish capital.
Officials also disclosed that another suspect taken into custody had allegedly served as the head of ISIS’s Türkiye network, making him a significant figure within the terrorist organization’s operational structure.
Cross-Border Cooperation Targets ISIS Networks
The latest operation highlights ongoing cooperation between Turkish and Syrian intelligence services against ISIS remnants seeking to maintain operational and logistical networks in the region.
Security analysts note that despite suffering major territorial defeats in recent years, ISIS continues to pose a threat through sleeper cells, recruitment networks and facilitators operating across parts of Syria and neighboring countries.
Türkiye has repeatedly conducted intelligence-based operations against ISIS operatives both inside the country and beyond its borders, targeting individuals suspected of involvement in terrorist attacks, recruitment efforts and financial support activities.
Officials said investigations into the detained suspects are ongoing, with authorities seeking to determine the full extent of their activities and any links to past or planned terrorist operations.
The arrests are being viewed as a significant counterterrorism success, particularly given the alleged involvement of some suspects in high-profile ISIS activities that have left a lasting impact on Türkiye’s security landscape.
