Persecution of Christians by ISIL

U.S. Special Envoy for Syria James Jeffrey will travel to Turkey and Saudi Arabia this week to discuss regional issues, the State Department said Jan. 8.  

Turkey detained seven suspects linked to the ISIL terror group in the country's west, security sources said on Jan. 7.

Police in İzmir province conducted an operation to catch the suspects -- five of them are Syrian nationals -- who had entered Turkey from conflict zones.

Turkish police have detained 13 foreign national suspects allegedly planning terror attacks targeting New Year's celebrations on behalf of ISIL, said security sources on Dec. 31.

Early this morning anti-terror police units carried out raids at the addresses of suspects in the capital Ankara, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Eight ISIL suspects were apprehended in an anti-terror operation in the western Turkish province of Izmir, security sources said on Dec. 31

The suspects were nabbed in Torbalı and Tire districts of the province after an arrest warrant was issued by İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, said the sources who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Turkey deported two foreign terrorist fighters back to their countries, the Netherlands, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

In a statement, the ministry said that Turkey continues extraditing foreign terrorists.

The statement did not specify which terror group the fighters belonged to, but in recent months it has been stressing the return of ISIL terrorists.

Turkish police detained 11 suspects allegedly linked to the ISIL terror group in the Aegean Balıkesir province, security sources said on Dec. 27.

The detentions came after prosecutors in Balıkesir issued detention warrants for their suspected terror activities in Iraq's western Anbar province, said sources who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Ferhatovic believes that other religions should also be referred to with this regard, to which the Minister of Defense replied that no case had been recorded that there was an organised terrorist Orthodox group that would do something wrong and that no Orthodox believer had entered the mosque and blown himself up, shouting "on behalf of God and Jesus."

Turkish police detained 13 suspects allegedly linked to the ISIL terror group in the southern Osmaniye province, said security sources on Dec. 18.

The suspects were allegedly planning terrorist attacks around the time of New Year's celebrations, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Concern in the Balkans since the collapse of the Islamic State caliphate has focused on the threat posed by returning fighters. But experts say those who fight online are a greater danger.

Turkey deported two foreign terrorist fighters of Kosovar national, according to the Interior Ministry on Dec. 17.

On Twitter, the ministry said Turkey will continue extraditing foreign terrorists.

The ministry did not mention the terrorist organizations the two people were reportedly linked to.