According to government information, the Turkish secret service “neutralized” the “so-called leader” of the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) during a mission in Syria. According to the state news agency Anadolu, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday evening that Abu al-Husain al-Husaini al-Kuraishi had been persecuted for a long time.
The term “neutralization” probably meant the killing of al-Kuraishi. In November 2022, IS proclaimed him the new “Emir” of the terrorist militia. Experts assumed that the name was a combat name.
For years, the IS controlled large areas in Iraq and in the neighboring civil war country Syria. In the meantime, the extremists have lost their dominion again. However, IS cells are still active in both countries.
Turkey occupies areas in northern Syria and carries out military actions there mainly against the Syrian Kurdish militia YPG. Suspected supporters of IS are regularly arrested in Germany. The Turkish government also blames the militia for a 2016 attack on Istiklal shopping street that killed four and injured 39 people.