Turkey Neutralizes Islamic State Threat to Holiday Celebrations in Istanbul
Istanbul, Friday, 26 December 2025.
Authorities raided 124 locations simultaneously, detaining 115 suspects plotting attacks on non-Muslims, effectively dismantling a coordinated Islamic State threat to Christmas and New Year gatherings.
Operational Details and Immediate Findings
On Thursday, December 25, 2025, Turkish security forces executed a massive counter-terrorism operation targeting the Islamic State (ISIS) network in Istanbul. The coordinated crackdown spanned 124 separate addresses, resulting in the detention of 115 individuals out of 137 identified suspects [1][3][5]. Authorities are currently conducting active searches to locate the remaining 22 suspects involved in the alleged plot [2][6]. During the raids, police confiscated a significant cache of firearms, including pistols and ammunition, alongside numerous organizational documents, signaling that the group was in an advanced stage of preparation [1][6].
Strategic Intelligence and Network Sophistication
Intelligence gathered prior to the raids pointed to a severe risk of high-impact violence designed to resonate politically and psychologically. An internal warning letter from the Ankara Provincial Gendarmerie Command, dated December 19, 2025, indicated that ISIS elements were planning simultaneous attacks using explosive-laden vehicles in crowded areas [3][4]. The intelligence assessment suggested that these planned atrocities were intended to prevent members from defecting from the organization and to boost internal morale through visible acts of terror [3].
Regional Volatility and Counter-Terrorism Context
This latest operation is part of an intensified campaign by Turkish security services to dismantle extremist networks within the country’s borders. The scale of the threat is reflected in arrest statistics from earlier in the year; authorities detained over 160 members in September 2025 and more than 150 in June 2025 [3]. These persistent security sweeps highlight the ongoing challenge Turkey faces in securing its territory, particularly given its 900km border with Syria where ISIS continues to operate [2].