ISTANBUL: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkish intelligence forces killed Islamic State leader Abu Hussein al-Qurashi in Syria.
"This individual was neutralized as part of an operation by the Turkish national intelligence organization in Syria yesterday," Erdogan said in an interview with TRT Turk broadcaster.
Erdogan said the intelligence organization had pursued Qurashi for a long time.
Syrian local and security sources said the raid took place in the northern Syrian town of Jandaris, which is controlled by Turkey-backed rebel groups and was one of the worst-affected in the Feb. 6 earthquake that hit both Turkey and Syria.
The Syrian National Army, an opposition faction with a security presence in the area, did not immediately issue any comment.
One resident said clashes started on the edge of Jandaris overnight from Saturday into Sunday, lasting for about an hour before residents heard a large explosion.
The area was later encircled by security forces to prevent anyone from approaching the area.
IS selected al-Qurashi as its leader in November 2022 after the previous IS leader was killed in an operation in southern Syria.
Islamic State took over vast swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014, and its head at the time, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared an Islamic caliphate across territory that housed millions.
But IS lost its grip on the territory after campaigns by U.S.-backed forces in Syria and Iraq, as well as Syrian forces backed by Iran, Russia and various paramilitaries.
Its remaining thousands of militants have in recent years mostly hid out in remote hinterlands of both countries, though they are still capable of carrying out major hit-and-run attacks.
The U.S.-led coalition alongside a Kurdish-led alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is still carrying out raids against IS officials in Syria.
In some cases, senior IS figures have been targeted while hiding out in areas where Turkey has major influence.
Reuters
Mon May 01 2023
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkish intelligence forces killed Islamic State leader Abu Hussein al-Qurashi in Syria. - REUTERS/Filepic
IOC tolak khabar angin pembatalan Sukan Olimpik Paris
Jawatankuasa Olimpik Antarabangsa (IOC) menolak "khabar angin" mengenai pembatalan atau penangguhan Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024 berikutan situasi politik di Perancis. IOC menyatakan ia adalah sebahagian daripada kempen maklumat palsu.
Warga London berharap tapi tidak optimis
Penduduk di London mempunyai pandangan dan jangkaan yang bercampur baur dengan sebilangan berasa optimistik dengan keputusan yang bakal diterima manakala yang lain mengatakan mereka tidak akan mengundi.
Parti Buruh diramalkan tewaskan Konservatif pimpinan Sunak
Tinjauan pendapat meletakkan parti Starmer di landasan untuk mendapatkan kemenangan besar tetapi juga mencadangkan ramai pengundi hanya mahukan perubahan selepas tempoh perbalahan dan pergolakan di bawah Konservatif
Enam ditahan kes rempuhan di utara India
Insiden itu berlaku pada Selasa (2 Julai) di kampung Phulrai Mughal Garhi, di daerah Hathras, di mana kira-kira 250,000 orang berkumpul untuk mendengar ceramah seorang pendakwah terkenal.
Levi majikan hanya digunakan untuk latihan kemahiran - PSMB
PSMB menegaskan bahawa levi majikan sememangnya hanya digunakan untuk tujuan latihan pekerja mereka sahaja selama ini.
Enakmen Lembah Klang Raya dibentang tahun hadapan - Amirudin
Enakmen Lembah Klang Raya Selangor dijangka dibentang dan dibahaskan di Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor pada tahun hadapan, kata Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
Noh Omar sah sertai Bersatu berkuat kuasa serta-merta
Bekas Pengerusi UMNO Selangor, Tan Sri Noh Omar sah menyertai Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) berkuat kuasa serta-merta.
Lelaki ditahan didakwa laku gangguan seksual ketika kempen
Suspek direman selama dua hari untuk siasatan lanjut dan polis memberi jaminan akan menjalankan siasatan secara terperinci.
Muhyiddin dapatkan khidmat Peguam Diraja
Bekas Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin mendapatkan khidmat Peguam Diraja (King’s Counsel) untuk menyertai barisan pembelaannya dalam usaha beliau membatalkan keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan yang mengembalikan empat pertuduhan salah guna kuasa terhadapnya.
Dua polis parah, seorang suspek maut
Ketua Polis Daerah Muar ACP Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz berkata melalui siasatan awal, pihaknya mendapati dua anggota polis berkenaan sedang dalam tugasan rondaan dan cuba menahan kereta dinaiki suspek, untuk tujuan pemeriksaan.
Jangan gusar ... kucing popular, Gli kekal di Hagia Sophia
Ramai yang tertanya-tanya nasib Gli, kucing popular yang tinggal di Hagia Sophia selepas monumen enam abad itu dibuka semula menjadi masjid.
COVID-19: Perintah berkurung hujung minggu di Turki dilanjutkan
Turki pada Isnin mengumumkan bakal melaksanakan lagi sekali perintah berkurung kepada rakyatnya pada hujung minggu bagi mengekang penularan wabak COVID-19.
Turki sahkan isteri, anak al-Baghdadi telah ditahan
Kata Erdogan, penahanan tersebut dibuat di Syria, namun tidak pernah dihebohkan sebelum ini.
TPM terharu sokongan penduduk Permatang Pauh
Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata Permatang Pauh merupakan satu titik permulaan sejarah negara dicipta sehingga mencapai kejayaan rakyat Malaysia menubuhkan kerajaan Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Rusia umum penghantaran awal sistem pertahanan peluru berpandu S-400 ke Turki
Hubungan antara Turki dan Rusia kini berkembang "setapak demi setapak."
Usaha Malaysia bantu pelarian Rohingya dihargai Presiden Turki dan anggota D8
Usaha berterusan Malaysia untuk membantu pelarian Rohingya yang kini berlindung di Bangladesh mendapat pujian dan penghargaan.