However, the FCDO advises Britons against traveling to the area of the country that lies 10km inside the border with Syria. For all other areas, it is urging Britons to check their travel advice before heading out. The FCDO advice was last updated on December 10, but is still considered current as of December 25. In its advice, the FCDO also notes that there is a “high treatment” of terrorist attacks that affect British interests and British nationals worldwide.
“You must remain alert to your surroundings, keep abreast of local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities.”
The FCDO advisory also states that attacks with “knives, firearms and explosives” could be “indiscriminate”, including in places frequented by foreigners.
Although the office says “no trip can be guaranteed to be safe”, millions of Brits flock to the country every year. A total of 4.4 million British travelers visited Turkey in 2024 alone, an increase of 16.6% on the previous year.
The FCDO advisory was issued before authorities in Turkey announced that they had arrested 115 suspected members of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group.
This came after coordinated raids across Turkey targeting alleged plots linked to Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Authorities have issued arrest warrants for a total of 137 suspects allegedly preparing attacks in Turkey during the festive period, Istanbul’s chief prosecutor said.
Turkish police raided 124 addresses in Istanbul. While 115 people were taken into custody, efforts to capture the remaining 22 continue.
The Istanbul Public Prosecution Service said in a statement on Thursday, December 25: “Information has been found that the ISIS Armed Terrorist Organization was planning to carry out actions against our country, especially non-Muslims, in the context of the upcoming Christmas and New Year events.
“They were in contact with conflict areas in the context of the activities of terrorist organizations.”
During the operation, police officers seized pistols, ammunition and what officials described as organizational documents.
In 2017, Istanbul was hit by an ISIS attack on the Reina nightclub during New Year’s celebrations, killing dozens of people.
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