[Today's Prayer] Turkey: Additional Operations to Eradicate the Islamic State... 357 Arrests

Turkish authorities announced on the 30th (local time) that they have arrested an additional 357 suspects involved in the Islamic State (IS) in a joint operation conducted in 21 provinces including Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya.

According to Ali Yildirim, the Turkish Interior Minister, a total of 110 people were arrested in Istanbul, of whom 41 were involved in the shooting incident in Yalova the day before.

It is reported that these individuals were planning to launch terrorist attacks on the eve of the New Year and were also involved in activities related to Syrian opposition forces.

On the previous day, a shootout broke out between police and IS militants in the Yalova district of Istanbul, resulting in the deaths of three police officers and the killing of six militants.

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Source: Yonhap News

Lord, as Turkey prepares to enter the New Year, we pray that You would watch over the Islamic State (IS), which is expanding its influence by conducting terrorist attacks in Turkey and engaging in activities related to Syrian opposition forces. We pray that You would have mercy on the young people who, unaware of the truth, are deceived by false religions and believe they are walking the right path, but are actually walking the path of death. We pray that You would free those who are bound by the false Islam of IS and allow them to offer their lives for Jesus Christ, the true Truth.

We pray for the families of the three police officers who sacrificed their lives to protect Turkish citizens, and we pray that no more innocent victims will fall to extreme terrorism in this land.

We pray that the Turkish church will serve the families of the victims with the love of Jesus and take the lead in exposing the contradictions of Islam with the truth, guiding the Turkish people to follow Jesus Christ.

Lord, while there are groups engaged in Syrian opposition activities in Turkey, and the number of refugees seeking refuge in Turkey is increasing, we pray that the global church, aware of Turkey's Middle Eastern leadership, would awaken and pray for Turkey and the Middle East, bearing witness to the gospel. We pray that through Turkey, Middle Eastern refugees would hear the gospel and be sent as missionaries to their hometowns, glorifying God.

May Turkey, which follows the Lord without sparing its own life and manifests God's glory among all nations, become a beacon of hope for the Middle East!