ISTANBUL: Turkish police detained 29 suspected Daesh members in Ankara on Friday, state media said, in a fresh operation after arresting some 120 suspects across Turkey a day earlier as security is tightened ahead of the New Year.
Some 500 police officers took part in simultaneous raids across the Turkish capital, and many of those detained were foreign nationals, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
It said prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 46 people and that materials seized in the raids indicated some of the suspects had made preparations for an attack over New Year.
During New Year’s celebrations a year ago, a man with an assault rifle shot dead 39 people including Turks and visitors from several Arab nations, India and Canada at an exclusive nightclub in Turkey’s largest city Istanbul.
Daesh claimed responsibility for that shooting, one of a series of attacks believed to have been carried out by the jihadists and also by Kurdish militants in Turkey in the last couple of years. A trial of those allegedly involved in the nightclub attack began this month.
Turkey will more than double the number of police officers on duty in Istanbul to 37,000 and cancel or ban public celebrations in key districts of the city on New Year’s Eve for security reasons, officials have said.
Turkish police detain 29 Daesh suspects in Ankara
Turkish police detain 29 Daesh suspects in Ankara
King Hamad says Bahrain 'committed to peace' as Iran attacks continue
LONDON: Bahrain is committed to the "path of peace" King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said on Saturday as the kingdom continued to be targeted by Iranian attacks.
Bahrain supports efforts that "enhance security and stability in the region and the world," the king said during a phone call with Spain's King Felipe VI.
"The people of the Kingdom of Bahrain are peaceful and believe in tolerance and coexistence," Bahrain News Agency reported him saying.
His comments came on another day of Iranian strikes against Gulf countries in response to the US-Israeli attack on Iran.
Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, has been targeted by waves of drone and missile strikes since the conflict started on February 28.
Loud explosions were heard Saturday evening in Bahrain's capital Manama, AFP reported. Bahrain's interior ministry said there was fire and material damage to a house and surrounding building in Manama following strikes from Iran.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said it had targeted US forces at Bahrain's Jufair base.
Another wave of attacks were directed at the kingdom earlier in the morning.
The UAE said its air defences intercepted 15 missiles and 119 drones on Saturday morning as attacks disrupted flights in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Qatar said on Saturday it had intercepted a missile, shortly after AFP journalists heard explosions and sirens sounding in central Doha.
"Armed forces intercepted (a) missile attack which targeted (the) State of Qatar," the defence ministry said.
*With AFP
