According to the Yeni Safak newspaper, the high-profile terrorist was detained as a result of a joint operation by police officers and National Intelligence Organisation agents near his home. The police also searched his apartment and seized mobile phones, digital materials and photographs of the militant raising a sword.
The militant, wanted on an Interpol red notice, entered Turkey with fake documents three years ago and was in charge of the military infrastructure of the group. The detainee was implicated in many terrorist attacks in Syria since 2014, as well as trained the militants.
Turkey was one of the first countries to designate Daesh* a terrorist group back in 2013. The country has since been repeatedly attacked by the organisation. In response, Ankara launched counter-terrorism operations both in Turkey and abroad to prevent further attacks.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed during a special US operation in Syria in 2019. The IS eventually confirmed al-Baghdadi's death and named Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi as his replacement.
*Daesh, also known as ISIL, ISIS or Islamic State is a terror organisation banned in Russia and many other countries
