Ankara  - Thirty suspected members of an extremist Islamist group were arrested Wednesday evening in raids on several houses in the central Anatolian city of Eskisehir, Dogan news agency reported on Thursday.

Riot police closed off streets in a number of suburbs in the city and made simultaneous raids taking 34 people into custody. Four were later released without charge.

Those arrested were suspected of belonging to the extremist Hizb ut-Tahrir, an international pan-Islamist group which aims restore the caliphate.

In addition to the arrests police seized three hand guns and a large amount of ammunition. (dpa)