Intelligence and counterterrorism units of Turkish police launched simultaneous raids in 19 locations across Istanbul on Wednesday. Sixteen suspects were captured in the operations against members of the PKK terrorist group.

Security forces seized guns and digital propaganda material in operations held in 11 districts of Türkiye’s most populated city.

The raids culminated in an investigation against the PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG. Security sources told the Turkish media outlets that the suspects took part in activities of the PKK/YPG and were identified through testimonies of terror suspects captured in earlier operations and through "digital evidence" such as photos taken during their time with the terrorist group. Among the arrested suspects were also those who helped the terrorists travel to rural areas where fellow terrorists were hiding secretly and those who recruited members for PKK.