Turkish intel nabs ISIL ringleader in Syria
ANKARA
The Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has captured Abdullah al-Jundi, an ISIL ringleader who was preparing an attack against Turkish security forces in the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch Operation areas.
MİT conducted a point operation in coordination with Syrian National Army forces and captured Abdullah al-Jundi, codenamed Hattab al-Muhajir, the so-called Siddiq Battalion Officer of ISIL in Aleppo, Syria.
MİT determined that Abdullah al-Jundi was planning to carry out attacks against vehicles belonging to Turkish security forces in Syria.
With the intelligence support provided by MİT, local security forces of the Syrian National Army organized an operation in al-Bab in the Euphrates Shield Operation Area. ISIL militant al-Jundi was captured alive.
In his testimony, al-Jundi confessed that ISIL was preparing an attack against Turkish Security Forces in the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch Operation areas and shared that ISIL militants occasionally carry out reconnaissance activities for this purpose. Al-Jundi also provided extensive information about the members of the Siddiq Battalion.
As a result of the operation, many digital materials belonging to the organization were seized and the activities of the organization were disrupted.
In 2013, Türkiye became one of the first countries to declare ISIL a terrorist organization.
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 attacks. In response, Türkiye launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.
Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations — Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019) — across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents.
