Ankara launches 'Operation Turquoise' with 209 detained ahead of NATO summit

Ankara is implementing "Operation Turquoise," a comprehensive security plan featuring stringent measures in anticipation of the NATO summit scheduled for next month. The Ankara Provincial Police Department's efforts aim to ensure the capital's tranquility, adopting a slogan that equates "the capital's peace with Turkey's peace."

The operation involves intensified checks at city entry and exit points across nine districts, alongside the deployment of specialized teams within designated NATO operational zones. Security perimeters are established on a 24-hour basis to monitor for "suspicious individuals" and "suspicious vehicles." The crackdown extends to public entertainment venues, with inspections targeting establishments that will host numerous tourists and delegations.

Authorities are taking a firm stance against beggars, street vendors, and touts. Inspections have also been conducted at hotels and car rental agencies. Special operations units, mounted police, and anti-narcotics teams are positioned at critical points, supported by plainclothes officers on patrol. Parking lots are being meticulously inspected, and special operations are underway to apprehend wanted individuals, who are then handed over to prison authorities.

Ankara Police Chief Maksut Yüksek personally inspected the security measures, instructing officers to conduct checks in crowded public areas, parks, and entertainment venues. The operation has led to the detention of 209 individuals out of 241 suspects identified as belonging to various organizations. This action follows dawn raids targeting leftist and socialist groups, underscoring the broad scope of the security initiative.