Turkish raids round up 200+ suspected ISIS members and far-left militants before NATO summit

Turkish security forces have apprehended 209 individuals suspected of affiliations with the Islamic State (ISIS) and banned far-left organizations in anticipation of the forthcoming NATO summit. Extensive raids were executed throughout the capital city of Ankara following detention orders for 241 suspects, with 32 individuals still unaccounted for.Authorities have arrested 56 individuals believed to have active connections to the Islamic State group.Among the detainees, 185 are suspected of being members of outlawed far-left groups classified as terrorist organizations by Ankara. This includes 35 confirmed members of the communist Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C), a group notorious for executing armed assaults and assassinations in Turkey.Local media sources such as T24 have reported that the operation also targeted left-wing activists, trade unionists, lawyers, and journalists, including Yildiz Tar, the editor-in-chief of the LGBTQ+ rights organization Kaos GL. The counter-terrorism operation occurs just before the annual NATO leaders' summit, which is set to be held in Ankara on July 7–8, 2026. This significant international event is anticipated to welcome world leaders from the 32 member states of the alliance, including U.S. President Donald Trump.In conjunction with the raids, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's administration has enforced stringent lockdown measures in the capital: The Ankara governor's office has announced a complete prohibition on all public demonstrations and gatherings from June 28 to July 10.Local authorities are limiting access to main roads leading to regional airports, and security perimeters are being established to entirely secure areas surrounding the summit venue and hotels accommodating foreign delegations.