The al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has sent two of seven bomb-loaded vehicles it has been preparing to the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa to launch an attack on Turkey's biggest cities, an intelligence source has told Today's Zaman.
After learning of ISIL's attack preparations, the National Police Department, the Gendarmerie General Command and the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) issued a red alert. According to initial findings of security forces, two bomb-loaded vehicles have entered Turkey, five more vehicles are being prepared and ISIL plans to use them to commit a large-scale attack on Turkey's major cities, including Ankara, İstanbul and İzmir. Detailed information on the two vehicles has been shared with all intelligence departments across Turkey. Security forces also warned that ISIL could amend its attack plans, which is why security measures in Turkey's southern and southeastern provinces -- among them Gaziantep and Hatay, where refugee camps are found -- has also been tightened.