Turkish Forces Detain 12 in Crackdown on IS Financial, Propaganda Networks

Turkish authorities on Monday arrested 12 individuals suspected of links to the Islamic State (IS) group, focusing on their roles in financial operations and social media propaganda. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the detentions, which occurred in Istanbul and Hatay province, highlighting the ongoing effort to curb the activities of the terror group within Turkish borders. Among those detained, five are foreign nationals, although their specific countries of origin were not disclosed. These individuals were reportedly involved in disseminating IS propaganda through an online chat group and raising funds for the organization. Turkey has faced significant threats from IS, officially recognizing the group as a terrorist entity in 2013 after being targeted in several deadly attacks. This operation follows the capture of a high-ranking IS figure responsible for the group’s finances last December.