ISTANBUL, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Turkish authorities detained 11 individuals in Istanbul on Tuesday on suspicion of links to the terrorist group Islamic State (IS) and of spreading extremist propaganda on social media.
The arrests came after a coordinated investigation by the Istanbul Police Department's Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence branches, conducted under the supervision of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
The prosecutor's office stated that the investigation identified the suspects' identities and addresses, uncovering a network involved in IS-related activities.
Police have taken all 11 suspects into custody for further questioning. Officials said the operation is part of ongoing efforts to prevent terrorist activities and curb online extremist propaganda in the city.
Türkiye officially designated IS as a terrorist organization in 2013 and has since been targeted by the group in multiple attacks. In response, Ankara has launched numerous counter-terrorism operations both at home and abroad.