Turkey arrests 16 Islamic State suspects

Fighters of Islamic-State

A News Agency reported on Wednesday that Turkish authorities had arrested 16 foreigners believed to be members of the Islamic State extremist group, the state-run Anadolu.

According to the report, the suspects, whose nationality is not known, were taken into custody near the Syrian border in the town of Akcakale.

Turkey has long been accused of failing to prevent potential foreign fighters from joining militant groups fighting in Syria.

It has also been called to account for its limited measures against Islamic State, which has called on its members to carry out attacks in Turkey.

Ankara has, meanwhile, criticised the fact that other states had not prevented possible extremists from entering Turkey.

Following a series of bomb attacks, Turkish authorities in 2015 launched a major crackdown on Islamic State, leading to numerous arrests.

In August, a terrorist attack in the southern city of Gaziantep killed 56 people attending a wedding. (dpa/NAN)
AIJ/AMY