Turkey detains 20 suspected Islamic State members: media

[August 04, 2016]    ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish police detained 20 suspected members of the Islamic State militant group in the southern city of Adana early on Thursday, the private Dogan news agency reported.

It said anti-terror police, supported by a helicopter, staged simultaneous raids on 22 addresses in the city after a tip-off that Islamic State cells were planning attacks.

A security officer stays on the roof near the Turkey's national flag as supporters of various political parties gather in Istanbul's Taksim Square before the Republic and Democracy Rally organised by main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkey, July 24, 2016. REUTERS/Osman Orsal

The suspects, who included senior local figures in the group, were taken to Adana police headquarters for questioning, it said.

President Tayyip Erdogan has said Islamic State militants from the former Soviet Union were behind an attack on Istanbul's main airport in June which killed 45 people. Dozens have been detained over the attack.

Islamic State controls an area of Syria along the Turkish border, east of Adana.

The city of Adana is near the Incirlik Air Base, where U.S. personnel are stationed and which is used for air missions in the fight against Islamic State.

(Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by David Dolan)

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