Turkish police target Daesh financial network, detain nine in Istanbul

Turkish police detained nine suspects in Istanbul after tracing financial transactions allegedly linked to Daesh, authorities said.

Counterterrorism teams from the Istanbul Police Department opened the investigation to identify the group’s financial networks and people suspected of providing or facilitating funding. Investigators identified the suspects after reviewing transactions flagged by Türkiye’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board, or MASAK.

Authorities said the suspects had links to conflict zones and had conducted financial transactions with numerous people previously subject to legal proceedings over alleged connections to Daesh and other religiously motivated terrorist groups. Police carried out simultaneous raids at several addresses across Istanbul and took the detainees to police headquarters for questioning and processing.

The operation comes as Turkish security forces continue targeting Daesh networks, including suspected members and recruitment, logistics and financing structures. Earlier this month, a suspected Daesh member allegedly planning an attack in Türkiye was killed after opening fire on police during an Istanbul operation, according to authorities. A statement from the Istanbul Governor’s Office said the 21-year-old was targeted in a joint operation coordinated by Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization, MIT, and the Istanbul Police Department.

In a separate earlier search at multiple locations, authorities seized assets worth about 1.82 million Turkish liras, along with a hunting rifle, digital materials and documents affiliated with the group.