Ankara readies NATO summit as more than 200 people are detained in security crackdown

In the weeks leading up to the NATO summit scheduled for 7‑8 July in Ankara, Turkish authorities have launched a large‑scale security operation dubbed “Operasyon Turkuaz.” The police and anti‑terror units raided homes and offices across the city, issuing arrest warrants for 241 suspects and detaining 209 of them. Those taken into custody include lawyers, journalists, academics, trade‑unionists, LGBT activists, members of far‑left groups, and, according to the Associated Press, 56 alleged ISIS militants. Human‑rights groups and the İzmir Bar Association have condemned the arrests as violations of defence‑law rights.

Security forces have also imposed a “Red Zone” around the summit area, closing major avenues, parks (such as Botanik Park, Dikmen Valley and Eymir Lake) and restricting traffic on dozens of boulevards. Approximately 56 000 security personnel, including 450 police staff, 39 special teams and 639 cyber‑monitoring officers, are being deployed, while extensive road‑work, asphalt renewal and graffiti projects are underway to prepare the city for the influx of 32 NATO heads of state and thousands of delegations.

In parallel, the E5 foreign‑ministerial group (Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Poland) met in Berlin to coordinate support for Ukraine ahead of the summit, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks with Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki on defence cooperation. The combined police actions, traffic restrictions and diplomatic preparations underscore the heightened security and political tension surrounding the upcoming NATO meeting in Ankara.