Turkey detains 3 IS militants planning attack

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s state-run news agency says police have detained three suspected Islamic State group militants who were allegedly scheming a “sensational” attack in the aftermath of the killing of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Anadolu Agency said Tuesday the three, who have not been identified, were detained in simultaneous raids in Istanbul. They were allegedly preparing for a possible attack to coincide with Tuesday’s celebrations marking the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish republic.

Turkey has stepped up security following al-Baghdadi’s killing in a U.S. raid in Syria. Police on Monday detained 20 foreign nationals suspected of IS links in a security sweep in Ankara.

Turkey was hit by a wave of attacks in 2015 and 2016 blamed on IS and Kurdish militants that killed around 300 people.