Another suspected ‘emir’ of ISIL detained in Turkey’s Sakarya

ISTANBUL

One of the three suspected members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) detained in the northwestern Turkish province of Sakarya could be the “emir” of Syria’s Deir ez-Zor region, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on May 2, just five days after another suspected Deir ez-Zor “emir” was caught in Turkey.

The most recent arrests in Sakarya came after the police’s counter-terrorism unit began its intelligence operation as part of a probe initiated by the Sakarya Prosecutor’s Office.

The suspects were reportedly carrying fake ID cards, according to the report. The two suspects other than the suspected “emir” were accused of handling money transfers in Turkey on behalf of ISIL.

On April 27, Anadolu Agency reported that four “senior members” of the ISIL were caught in the Aegean province of İzmir.

One of the suspects detained in İzmir in a joint operation by the police and the National Intelligence Agency (MİT) was the so-called “emir” of Deir ez-Zor who had close relations with ISIL chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, according to the report. He was allegedly trying to cross into Europe.

It was not reported when exactly the two suspects were thought to have served as “emirs” in Deir ez-Zor.