Industries and services suspected of involvement in the Islamic State (IS) and other groups designated as terrorist organizations have been shut down. Over 200 people have been detained for suspected connections with the IS. It is a broad-scale operation as the Turkish government steps up its policing as it prepares for next month’s NATO summit in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

Prosecutor’s office in Ankara issued 241 arrest warrants for which 209 people were arrested at once. Of those arrested, 56 are suspected of being members of the Islamic State and 35 members of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C), a leftist group that has been responsible for other attacks.

In another campaign, organized by prosecutors in Istanbul, 24 more members of the DHKP-C were arrested in eight provinces. These are the follow-up measures to a massive operation across the country last month, which succeeded in capturing 324 people suspected of being Islamic State supporters.

Extensive Security Operations and Summit Preparations

The proactive sweeps are meant to safeguard world leaders who are attending the long-awaited summit on July 7 and 8. The President of the United States and other 31 member-state leaders will attend the gathering.

This is the third important diplomatic meeting since last year’s late June meeting in The Hague, Netherlands. The host country has a history of violent threats from internal dissident groups, so security measures are being taken this year.

In order to ensure the order, the local authorities have banned public gatherings from June 28 to the end of the event. Also the roadways to and from the airport will be fully closed and the area around the summit venue and the delegation hotels will be completely isolated.