Türkiye detains thousands during NATO summit security operation

Turkish law enforcement authorities have detained 4,412 individuals wanted in connection with various criminal cases as part of security measures implemented for the NATO summit in Ankara, Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi has stated.

The unprecedented security operation was prompted by the participation of heads of state and government from 41 countries in the summit, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

Around 56,000 police officers and gendarmerie personnel were deployed to secure the event, Çiftçi said.

The minister noted that preparations for the security operation had begun several months before the summit.

Ankara served as the centre of the operation, while neighbouring provinces were incorporated into the first security zone.

Counterterrorism and cybercrime units began their work a month before the start of the summit, with the highest level of readiness reached during the final 72 hours before the event opened.

Çiftçi also said that civil servants in Ankara had been granted administrative leave to reduce pressure on the city's transport system.

According to the minister, the summit concluded without any major incidents. He also thanked residents of the Turkish capital for their understanding despite temporary restrictions and disruptions to the city's normal routine.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov