Illegal Religious Bookstore Closing Clashes, Turkey Detains 16 People Related To ISIS

Illustration of an arrest. (Wikimedia Commons/Oregon Department of Transportation)

JAKARTA - Turkish police detained 16 people accused of links to the Islamic State on Tuesday, after clashes over the closure of an illegal religious bookstore, the governor's office said.

Turkish police clashed with a group of protesters while trying to close a bookstore in the southeastern city of Bingol, the governor's office said, adding the shop supported ISIS activities in the country.

ISIS is known to have carried out numerous attacks across Turkey, including on a nightclub in Istanbul on January 1, 2017, in which 39 people were killed.

"Our police team intervened while attacks using sticks and stones were carried out against our security forces," said a statement from the governor's office, citing Reuters December 28.

The suspects have been detained for assaulting a law enforcement officer, intentionally causing injury, and damaging public property, the statement said. Footage from the operation showed dozens of people clashing with police using batons, while gunfire was heard.

Since the failed 2016 coup, Turkey has investigated and tried tens of thousands of people accused of links to the militants, in a crackdown that rights groups say has been used as a pretext to quell dissent.

Meanwhile, the Government has said its action against ISIS is necessary given the gravity of the threat faced by Turkey.