Operation Gürz-44: Türkiye cracks down on massive ISIS network in nationwide sweep VIDEO

Türkiye’s security forces have conducted a large-scale counterterrorism operation, codenamed Gürz-44, targeting the terrorist organization ISIS across 21 provinces, including major cities like Istanbul and Ankara.

According to Türkiye’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who announced the operation via his social media account on X, the nationwide raids resulted in the detention of 164 suspects over the past week, Caliber.Az informs.

21 ilde DEAŞ Terör Örgütüne yönelik son 1 haftadır devam eden “GÜRZ-44” operasyonlarında; 164 şüpheli Terör Örgütü mensubu yakalandı. ❗️

Toplumsal dayanışmamız ve ortak değerlerimiz, terörün yayılmasını önlemede en etkili savunma mekanizmalarından biridir. Terörü ülkemizden… pic.twitter.com/YVAz4Vezhv

— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) February 5, 2025

“In operations against the terrorist group ISIS conducted in 21 provinces, including Istanbul and Ankara, 164 suspects have been detained,” Yerlikaya stated.

Authorities also seized unlicensed weapons and a large number of digital materials, underscoring the operation’s significance in disrupting terrorist networks within the country.

It is relevant to recall that Türkiye's operations against ISIS began in 2014, shortly after the terrorist organization gained prominence in Syria and Iraq. The turning point came in July 2015 with the Suruç bombing, where an ISIS suicide attack killed 33 people, mostly young activists. This marked ISIS’s first major strike inside Türkiye, prompting the government to launch significant military campaigns, including Operation Martyr Yalçın (Şehit Yalçın Operasyonu), targeting ISIS both domestically and across the Syrian border.

Türkiye’s long border with Syria posed direct security threats due to ISIS-controlled territories, which led to cross-border rocket attacks and infiltration attempts. In response, Türkiye initiated large-scale military operations such as Operation Euphrates Shield (2016-2017), which pushed ISIS away from its borders by targeting strongholds in northern Syria, particularly in Jarabulus and Al-Bab. Subsequent operations, including Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019), although primarily focused on other groups, also targeted remaining ISIS elements.

Even after ISIS lost its territorial control in Syria and Iraq by 2019, Türkiye maintained continuous operations to prevent the group’s resurgence. 

By Khagan Isayev