Turkish police seize 39 far-left suspects in multi-city anti-terror raids

In a series of coordinated counter-terrorism operations, Turkish authorities apprehended 39 suspects tied to far-left organisations in Istanbul and nine other provinces. The probe, overseen by the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office and built on testimonies from earlier detainees, led police to arrest members of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP), TIKKO - the armed wing of the outlawed Communist Party of Türkiye/Marxist-Leninist (TKP-ML) - the Revolutionary Socialist Workers’ Party (DSIH) and the Maoist Communist Party (MKP).

Arrest warrants had been issued for 52 individuals; three are still missing, eight escaped abroad and two were already serving sentences for other crimes. The raids seized one handgun, ammunition and various propaganda items. Operations spanned Istanbul, Ankara, Adana, Antalya, Aydın, Balıkesir, Diyarbakır, Mersin, Muğla and Şanlıurfa.