Turkish intelligence nabs 18 Daesh/ISIS terrorists in northern Syria

Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization (MİT) captured 18 Daesh/ISIS terrorists, along with one dead, in northern Syria, said security sources on Friday.

The Daesh/ISIS terror group reportedly formed a special cell to mount high-profile attacks on Turkish institutions in northern Syria, especially Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) soldiers on a counter-terrorist operation, said the sources, requesting anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

With MİT support, local security forces affiliated with the opposition Free Syrian Army carried out operations in the areas of Türkiye's counter-terrorist operations Euphrates Shield and Peace Spring.

During the operations, in addition to the captured terrorists, many explosives, weapons, and ammunition were also seized.

The captured terrorists also admitted that they did intense reconnaissance on Turkish bases and Turkish institutions in Syria, followed the daily routines of Turkish army vehicles in Syria, and launched four attempted attacks on those vehicles in August and September.

In 2013, Türkiye became one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terrorist group.

The country has since been attacked by the terror group multiple times, with over 300 people killed and hundreds more injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed assaults.

In response, Türkiye launched operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks, including several counter-terrorist operations such as Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).