Istanbul Police Detain Al-Baghdadi's Right-Hand Man - Reports

ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd May, 2021) Turkish police have detained in Istanbul a senior member of the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia), believed to be the right-hand man of killed IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, media reported on Sunday.

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 Organization 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 the IS a terrorist group back in 2013. The country has since been repeatedly attacked by the organization. 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.