Turkey arrests over 200 suspected of links to ISIS, outlawed far-left groups before NATO summit

ISTANBUL – The Turkish police on June 23 arrested more than 200 people suspected of links to the Islamic State and outlawed far-left groups, officials said, before an upcoming NATO summit.

The Ankara prosecutor’s office said 209 people had been detained in the capital, while 32 others remained at large.

Of those held, 185 are suspected of membership in several far-left organisations designated as terrorist groups by Ankara.

They include the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front, which has claimed responsibility for attacks in Turkey in the past.

The authorities said the operations targeted multiple groups as part of broader security measures.

The Ankara governor’s office announced late on June 22 a ban on all demonstrations from June 28 until the end of the NATO summit, scheduled for July 7 to July 8 in the capital.

The summit is expected to bring together leaders from the 32 member states, including US President Donald Trump. AFP