and the Levant (ISIL) were detained in Istanbul early on July 1 in
connection with a suicide bomb attack on the city’s main airport, daily
Habertürk has reported.
Istanbul counterterrorism police
carried out an operation against an ISIL cell in the Başakşehir district
on suspicion that they are linked to the three suicide bombers who
staged the deadly attack at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport on June 28.
Eleven suspects, including some of Russian
nationality who were staying in the city, were apprehended in the
operation as the total number of detained suspects in the attack
increased to 24.
Another 13 people, four of whom are foreigners,
were detained in Istanbul on June 30 in a dawn operation on 16
different addresses in several districts, including Pendik, Başakşehir
and Sultanbeyli.
The three suicide bombers were revealed to be of Russian, Uzbek and Kyrgyz nationality, with the Russia reported to be of Dagestani origin.
At least 44 people were killed and hundreds were wounded in the suicide bomb attack at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport blamed on the jihadist group.