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Turkey Detains 21 Suspected IS Militants in Raids

However, the nationalities of the three foreign detainees were not immediately revealed.

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As indicated by reports, twenty one people were arrested in Turkey on suspicion of belonging to Islamic State.

Hundreds of people from European countries have reportedly gone to Syria and Iraq to join Daesh, which declared a so-called “caliphate” in June 2014. In turn, it has accused the West of not playing its part in preventing Westerners from becoming radicalised, or helping to shoulder the burden of hosting 1.8 million refugees from Syria.

The raids come just days after US officials including Retired General John Allen held talks in Ankara on joint efforts to fight The Islamic militants.

Turkey has been a reluctant coalition partner on the war against IS arguing that al-Assad also needs to be forced from power.

Brett McGurk, the US deputy special presidential envoy to the anti-Isil alliance, described the police action as “important raids” against suspected Isil agents and facilitators.

The country has reinforced its military presence on the volatile Turkey-Syria border, deploying tanks and anti-acircraft missiles and increasing troops.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday ruled out any prospect of an immediate intervention in Syria, but said Turkey would respond if its security was threatened.

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The operation underscored the depth of the challenge facing Turkey’s government as it belatedly moves to crack down on Isil activity within its borders.

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