Turkish intelligence nabs 8 Daesh/ISIS terrorists in southern Türkiye

By Zafer Fatih Beyaz

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish intelligence service captured eight Daesh/ISIS terrorists in southern Türkiye's Hatay province, security sources said on Wednesday.

Among those captured was Ahmed A.K. Ali, codenamed Abu Suleyman Al Ashkar, Daesh/ISIS’ so-called senior coastal unit commander, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The terrorist ringleader and seven terrorist members were found to be living in various houses belonging to Daesh/ISIS in Hatay, a province bordering northern Syria.

In addition to a large cache of explosives and ammunition seized, sources said videos were found showing the suspects burning a Turkish flag while taking an oath to join the terror group.

In 2013, Türkiye became one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terrorist group.

The country has since been attacked by the terror group multiple times, with over 300 people killed and hundreds more injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed assaults.

In response, Türkiye launched operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks, including several counter-terrorist operations such as Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).