Turkish Sweep: New Wave of Detentions Targets Izmir

In a significant development, Turkish authorities have detained 109 individuals in Izmir, including members of the opposition and a former mayor, widening their months-long legal crackdown which initially focused on Istanbul.

According to reports from Anadolu state news agency, the Izmir prosecutor's office ordered the detention of 157 people on allegations of corruption, tender rigging, and fraud. Efforts to apprehend the remaining 48 individuals are ongoing, the agency added. Notably, former Izmir Mayor Tunc Soyer and senior officials of the Republican People's Party were among those detained.

This operation echoes previous actions in Istanbul, where major political figures including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu were detained on similar charges. These arrests have prompted significant protests and criticism, particularly from the opposition and Western nations, who view the crackdown as a tactic to suppress dissent and eliminate political threats to President Tayyip Erdogan.

(With inputs from agencies.)