BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
Turkish security forces launched a sweeping series of raids across the capital, Ankara, on Tuesday, detaining more than 200 people in a large-scale security operation ahead of next month’s NATO summit, as authorities intensified efforts to prevent potential security threats before world leaders arrive in the country.
The operation comes just weeks before leaders of the 32-member NATO alliance are scheduled to gather in Ankara for the July 7-8 summit, where U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to join other heads of state and government for discussions on regional security, defense cooperation and other key international issues.
Turkish officials said the raids primarily targeted individuals suspected of links to extremist organizations. However, reports from several local media outlets indicating that politicians, lawyers and activists were also among those detained have prompted criticism from opposition groups and human rights advocates, who accuse the government of using the security operation to suppress dissent ahead of the high-profile international gathering.
According to a statement issued by the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Office, prosecutors authorized detention warrants for 241 suspects during an investigation into alleged extremist activities. By Tuesday afternoon, police and gendarmerie forces had taken 209 individuals into custody in coordinated operations carried out across the capital, while efforts continued to locate and arrest the remaining suspects.
Authorities said those detained include 56 people suspected of having ties to the Islamic State group and 35 individuals allegedly linked to the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front, a far-left militant organization that has claimed responsibility for armed attacks, assassinations and bombings in Turkey over the years.
The government has not released the identities of those arrested, and investigations remain ongoing.
Turkey has significantly increased security preparations in advance of the NATO summit, implementing extensive measures designed to secure the capital during the arrival of foreign delegations.
Officials have announced plans to prohibit demonstrations during the summit period, restrict access to roads leading to Ankara’s airports, and establish heavily secured zones around the conference venue as well as hotels accommodating visiting leaders and diplomatic delegations.
The heightened security reflects the importance Ankara places on hosting one of NATO’s most significant annual meetings while minimizing potential security risks.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s administration has made counterterrorism operations a central component of its domestic security policy, with Turkish authorities regularly conducting nationwide raids targeting suspected extremist organizations.
Just last month, security forces detained 324 people across the country who were suspected of maintaining links to the Islamic State group in one of Turkey’s largest recent counterterrorism operations.
Tuesday’s operation, however, quickly generated political controversy after independent media outlets reported that some of those detained were not suspected militants but individuals associated with left-wing political organizations.
The independent newspaper BirGün and several other Turkish media organizations reported that those taken into custody included a politician, an LGBTQ rights activist and at least three lawyers believed to have connections to left-wing groups.
The reports fueled allegations that the government may be using broad security measures to prevent potential anti-NATO protests or silence critics before the alliance’s leaders arrive in Ankara.
Opposition figures argued that the timing and scope of the operation raised concerns about civil liberties and freedom of expression during a period of heightened international attention on Turkey.
Among the most outspoken critics was the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), which condemned the arrests and restrictions being introduced ahead of the summit.
In a statement, the party described the detentions as arbitrary and accused authorities of targeting leftist and socialist organizations under the guise of maintaining security.
The party also criticized plans to impose extensive restrictions across the capital during the NATO gathering, arguing that transforming large sections of Ankara into tightly controlled security zones was an excessive response.
Turkish authorities have not publicly responded to those allegations and continue to maintain that the operations are part of ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and protect public safety.
As preparations for the NATO summit continue, security is expected to remain at the forefront of the government’s agenda, with additional police deployments, transportation restrictions and protective measures anticipated in the days leading up to the meeting of alliance leaders. The summit is expected to bring together senior officials from across the NATO alliance amid continuing discussions on regional security challenges, defense spending and international cooperation.