Turkey Arrests 2 Suspected ISIS Militants At Border Crossing, Seizes Suicide Vest, Explosives

Turkish security forces have arrested two suspected Islamic State militants, the Associated Press (AP) reported Monday, citing the state-run news agency. Plastic explosives and a suicide vest were also seized from the suspects, the report added.

The alleged militants from the extremist group, also known as ISIS, were taken into custody at a border crossing after authorities found that they were attempting to put a bag inside a rear of a truck, which arrived in the country from Syria, the AP reported, citing the official Anadolu Agency. The bag had 10 slabs of plastic explosives, a suicide vest and a detonator, the news agency reportedly said. No details about the militants were provided.

Turkey has beefed up security at its border in a bid to counter the growing influx of insurgents from Syria in recent months. The country has been the target of consistent attacks by the ISIS and Kurdish rebels.

Extremists have carried out several attacks in Turkey, including suicide bombings in Ankara in October that resulted in more than 100 deaths. Last month, at least 28 people were killed and 61 wounded after a large explosion in the Turkish capital. In January, Kurdish rebels from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) targeted a police station in southeastern Turkey with a car bomb, killing at least five people. The blast also damaged nearby residential buildings.

In December, Turkish police arrested two suspected suicide bombers for plotting an attack on New Year’s Eve in Ankara. The detainees had reportedly planned to detonate their vests at two locations in central part of the city.