Eight ISIS members arrested during counter-terrorism operations in Turkey

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Turkish counter-terrorism units have arrested eight suspected members of the Islamic State (ISIS) group in a series of operations in Istanbul, Turkish state media reported on Thursday.

"Within the scope of the investigation, the [counter-terrorism] team carried out simultaneous operations at 12 addresses in seven districts, detaining eight members of the organization," Turkey's state media reported Thursday, adding that a large number of documents and digital materials were also seized in the operations.

It is believed that the group was operating in the city on behalf of ISIS and was considering taking action, according to state media.

ISIS members are often arrested in Istanbul as part of counterterrorism operations.

At least 26 ISIS suspects were arrested in Istanbul in April. Eighteen suspects were arrested in March, 16 of whom were foreign nationals.

Turkey is a member of the Global Coalition Against Daesh (ISIS), formed in 2014 after ISIS seized large parts of Iraq and Syria.

However, Turkey has been accused of financially and militarily supporting ISIS, according to a report from a former UN advisor, a claim that Ankara continually denies.

A Yazidi girl taken captive in 2014 was rescued during a raid in the Turkish capital of Ankara in February. According to police, one of her captors was an Iraqi senior member of ISIS.

There have been several other Yazidi children found with ISIS-linked families in Turkey.

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