Senior ISIL officials captured after apprehension of leading member in Turkey: Foreign Ministry

ANKARA

A Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson has confirmed that a senior Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) member, who had been hiding in Turkey, was captured in a complex cross-border sting carried out by the Iraqi, Turkish and American intelligence agencies. 

“Turkey has mobilized all its national capacity in the fight against DAESH. We are pleased to see that the international cooperation established in this regard is yielding important results,” Hami Aksoy said in a written statement on May 11, using the Arabic name for ISIL.

The operation “initially started with the apprehension of a leading member of DAESH, Ismail Alwaan al-Ithawi, by the Turkish intelligence and law enforcement agencies in Sakarya [western province] and his subsequent deportation to Iraq,” said Aksoy.

Ankara is pleased by the “success of the operation that also benefited from Turkey’s contribution. Turkey shall continue its efforts in countering DAESH in cooperation with the U.S., Iraq and other countries.” said the spokesperson.

Five senior ISIL officials have been captured, including a top aide to the group’s leader, in a complex cross-border sting carried out by Iraqi and American intelligence, the New York Times reported on May 9.

Two Iraqi intelligence officials said those captured included four Iraqis and one Syrian whose responsibilities included governing ISIL’s territory around Deir al-Zour, Syria, directing internal security and running the administrative body that oversees religious rulings, the American daily reported.