Turkish security forces have arrested at least seven suspected members of the ISIL Takfiri militant group, which is mainly operating in neighboring Syria and Iraq.

Police sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday that the suspects were detained in Turkey’s western provinces of Izmir and Isparta as well as the eastern province of Erzurum.

The Izmir Police Department announced that investigations leading to the arrests began after a tip-off that the suspects, who had previously crossed the border and joined the ranks of foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants operating inside Syria, were back home in Turkey.

Separate operations were carried out simultaneously at 22 different places in Izmir, Isparta and Erzurum provinces once the suspects’ locations were specified, the police department added.

Police forces found two assault rifles, an ISIL flag and many organizational documents during searches conducted in the Buca and Menemen districts of Izmir Province.

The US State Department, in an annual report entitled “Country Reports on Terrorism 2014” issued on June 19, said that foreign terrorists have used Turkey as their “main transit route” to Iraq and Syria.

“By virtue of its location, the international transport hubs on its territory, and its long border with Syria and Iraq, Turkey remained the main transit route for foreign terrorist fighters” last year, the report said.

Militants take part in a military training outside the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, June 10, 2015. (© AFP)

The US State Department’s report comes while Washington, along with its Western and regional allies – including Turkey – has been among the major supporters of Takfiri extremists operating in Syria since 2011.

The conflict in Syria, which started in March 2011, has reportedly claimed more than 230,000 lives up until now. The violence has also forced over 3.8 million Syrians to take refuge in neighboring countries, namely Jordan and Lebanon.

More than 7.2 million others have also been displaced within Syria, according to the United Nations.

MP/HJL/GHN