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A gendarmerie warning about potential Daesh terror attacks in Ankara and Istanbul ahead of the New Year is a routine annual precaution and not based on a credible threat, Turkish security sources told Türkiye Today on Monday.
Turkish media outlet Cumhuriyet earlier reported an internal Gendarmerie document claimed to be dated Dec. 19 that warned of "potential simultaneous attacks using vehicle-borne explosives in crowded areas, particularly shopping centers and public bazaars."
The Ankara Provincial Gendarmerie Command has warned of potential Daesh terror attacks in Ankara and Istanbul in the coming days, with intelligence suggesting simultaneous attacks using vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) in crowded areas, Turkish media outlet Cumhuriyet reported Monday.
The internal document, reportedly dated Dec. 19, instructed personnel to increase security measures, particularly at public bazaars and shopping centers.
"Intelligence has been received that simultaneous attacks with explosive-laden vehicles are planned in crowded areas within the next few days," the document reportedly stated.
However, Turkish security sources talking to Türkiye Today said that the warning became a routine after the deadly Daesh attack at an Istanbul nightclub shooting in which a Daesh terrorist killed 39 people in January 2017. They noted that the warning is not based on a credible threat.
The warning that Turkish media reported indicated that attacks could take various forms, including armed assaults, suicide bombings, vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, drone attacks, or vehicle-ramming attacks on crowds.
The document reportedly attributed the threat to Daesh and a radical terrorist group whose operational capabilities have been degraded by domestic and international counterterrorism operations, but who are now seeking "sensational actions especially due to New Year's."
According to the reported document, instructions from so-called leadership cadres to organization members indicate that sleeper cells have been given the initiative to carry out independent "lone wolf" style attacks.
"The purpose of such attacks would be to prevent members from leaving the organization, boost morale among sympathizers, and create pressure and fear in public opinion," the document reportedly stated.
Personnel were instructed to increase security measures both within cities and at city entry points, and to share any intelligence obtained with the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and police units.
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Türkiye has been a target of Daesh attacks in the past, particularly during the 2015-2017 period. The deadliest attack occurred on New Year's Eve 2017, when a Daesh gunman attacked the Reina nightclub in Istanbul, killing 39 people and injuring 79 others.
Turkish security forces have conducted extensive operations against Daesh, arresting thousands of suspects and disrupting numerous attack plots.
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