Turkish intel captures al-Qaeda operative in Africa

ANKARA

The National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has apprehended Ahmet Baykara, a member of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda, in an operation conducted in an unspecified African country after identifying his involvement in terror attacks targeting Turkish military bases in Syria.

Turkish intelligence efforts led to the discovery of Baykara’s participation in assaults on Turkish Armed Forces' base areas in Idlib, Syria, as well as an attack on a military convoy, security sources said on Oct. 15.

When Baykara realized he was under surveillance, he fled to an African country.

Baykara, who masterminded and orchestrated numerous attacks against the Turkish military, was apprehended in Africa following a series of "intelligence and risk assessments" conducted by MİT, the sources said, without specifying the country in which the operation took place.

In his testimony, Baykara admitted to orchestrating cross-border attacks on Turkish outposts. He also confessed to plotting assaults on several sensitive locations in Türkiye and revealed the identities of accomplices who conspired with him, according to the sources.