Türkiye detains 13 foreign IS suspects in Ankara

Turkish police

ANKARA, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 foreign Islamic State (IS) suspects were detained in police raids in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Thursday, the state-run TRT TV reported.

Ankara police launched an operation against 15 foreign suspects, some of whom were allegedly in contact with IS members in the conflict zones, the report said.

Thirteen suspects were detained in the operation, while the police continue to search for the remaining two, it added.

The Turkish government designated the IS a terrorist organization in 2013, blaming it for a spate of deadly attacks in Türkiye since 2015.

Türkiye's southern border with Syria has been a major crossing point for Syrians and foreign fighters since a war broke out in Syria in 2011.

Türkiye launched its first cross-border operation into northern Syria, named Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, to eliminate the IS militants around Jarablus and Azaz areas.