Turkey’s security forces conducted a large nationwide counter-terrorism operation on Wednesday, detaining 125 people suspected of having links to the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. The sweep took place in Istanbul and 24 other provinces across the country in a coordinated effort by police and security units.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya shared a video from the operation showing officers raiding homes and taking suspects into custody, with some of those arrested seen handcuffed. The minister wrote on social media platform X: “We captured 125 Daesh suspects in simultaneous operations carried out in 25 provinces this morning.”

The raids are part of a series of ongoing security actions against the extremist group. Turkey has been carrying out intensified operations following a deadly clash earlier in the week in the northwestern province of Yalova. During that operation, three Turkish police officers were killed while targeting IS suspects, and six IS members were also killed. All six militants were reported to be Turkish citizens.

In addition to the latest arrests, authorities said security forces had conducted another operation the day before, resulting in the detention of 357 people suspected of links to IS. This series of crackdowns reflects Turkey’s continued focus on combating extremist threats within the country.

Speaking about the ongoing measures, Minister Yerlikaya emphasised the government’s stance on unity and fighting terrorism. He stated, “Those who seek to harm our brotherhood, our unity, our togetherness … will only face the might of our state and the unity of our nation.”

Authorities have been using intelligence and coordinated planning to execute these extensive raids. The simultaneous operations across many provinces highlight Turkey’s efforts to disrupt IS networks and prevent possible attacks.