Turkish security forces on Saturday arrested three suspected members of the Islamic State (ISIS) in the eastern province of Malatya, Xinhua reported.
The arrests come as authorities intensify counterterrorism operations amid heightened security alerts during the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
The Malatya Provincial Police Department said the operation was jointly carried out by counterterrorism and intelligence units as part of ongoing efforts to uncover ISIS-linked activities and prevent potential attacks.
According to authorities, the three suspects were found to have been actively involved in ISIS-related activities and were subsequently remanded in custody by a local court following interrogation.
The arrests came as Turkey increased nationwide security measures after intelligence warnings pointed to possible ISIS attacks targeting crowded public areas during the holiday season.
The Malatya operations followed a large-scale counterterrorism sweep in Istanbul on Thursday, during which Turkish police detained 115 suspected ISIS members.
Turkey, which has been attacked by ISIS several times, regularly detains suspected members of the group, including many who planned attacks in the country.
In December of 2023, Turkish authorities detained 29 people suspected of having ties to ISIS and who planned to attack local synagogues.
In February of that year, the Turkish intelligence agency busted a network of 15 ISIS operatives, who allegedly planned to carry out terrorist attacks against the embassies of Sweden and the Netherlands in Istanbul.
Turkey officially designated the Islamic State as a terrorist organization in 2013.