Turkey: Security forces arrest 15 suspected IS members in Istanbul Dec. 12

Event

Turkish police forces arrested 15 suspected terrorists in a security operation in Istanbul on Wednesday, December 12. According to security officials, the suspected terrorists had linked to the Islamic State (IS). Similar security operations are possible in Istanbul and elsewhere in Turkey in the near term. 

Context

The general security situation in Turkey remains precarious due to an extant heightened risk of terrorism. The country has been a target of multiple attacks perpetrated by IS and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which have prompted Turkish police to carry out an increasing number of counterterrorism raids in recent months.

Advice

Individuals in Istanbul, and Turkey more generally, are advised to maintain a high degree of vigilance, report any suspicious objects or behavior to the relevant authorities, and be particularly cautious when visiting sites deemed especially likely to be targeted in an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels, and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.).