"During operations carried out by our gendarmerie against the terrorist organization ISIS in 28 provinces over the past two weeks, we have captured 153 suspected members of the terrorist organization," the ministry said in a statement quoted by AFP.

The suspects "are members of a terrorist organization, have provided funds to organizations linked to ISIS," and are accused of "propaganda in favor of the terrorist organization through their social media profiles," he said.

According to the list of provinces affected, the arrests were carried out across the country, from Izmir (west) to Hatay and Mardin (southeast), from Samsun on the Black Sea (north) to Mugla (southwest).

The minister specified that he had acted on the basis of Turkish intelligence and international cooperation.

Turkey shares a border with Syria, where ISIS is still active and claimed responsibility in May for an attack on new Syrian government forces in the south of the country.

On the other hand, a little-known Sunni extremist group claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing carried out in June against a church in Damascus. | BGNES