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A Wife of al-Baghdadi Is Captured by Turkey, Erdogan Says A Wife of al-Baghdadi Is Captured by Turkey, Erdogan Says
(about 5 hours later)
ISTANBUL — Turkey has captured one of the wives of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the slain leader of the Islamic State movement, in addition to several other family members, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech on Wednesday.ISTANBUL — Turkey has captured one of the wives of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the slain leader of the Islamic State movement, in addition to several other family members, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech on Wednesday.
He also confirmed the capture of Mr. al-Baghdadi’s elder sister and brother-in-law in the town of Azaz, in a Turkish-controlled part of northern Syria, several days ago.He also confirmed the capture of Mr. al-Baghdadi’s elder sister and brother-in-law in the town of Azaz, in a Turkish-controlled part of northern Syria, several days ago.
The Turkish leader, speaking at the Islamic Studies Faculty of Ankara University, took a swipe at the fanfare with which President Trump announced the death of Mr. al-Baghdadi last month. Mr. Trump proclaimed Mr. al-Baghdadi’s demise in a morning nationally televised address, at a time when American forces were withdrawing from the area. The Turkish leader, speaking at the Islamic Studies Faculty of Ankara University, took a swipe at the fanfare with which President Trump announced the death of Mr. al-Baghdadi last month. Mr. Trump proclaimed Mr. al-Baghdadi’s demise in a nationally televised address, at a time when American forces were withdrawing from the area.
“As you know, Baghdadi killed himself in the tunnel,” Mr. Erdogan said, describing how the Islamic State leader blew himself up along with two of his children when cornered in a tunnel by United States Special Operations forces in northwestern Syria. “As you know, Baghdadi killed himself in the tunnel,” Mr. Erdogan said, describing how the Islamic State leader blew himself up along with two of his children when cornered by United States Special Operations forces in northwestern Syria.
“The U.S. with that initiated a serious communication campaign,” Mr. Erdogan said. “We, too, have captured Baghdadi’s wife. But we did not make a fuss about it. I am announcing it here for the first time. Likewise we have captured his sister and brother-in-law.”“The U.S. with that initiated a serious communication campaign,” Mr. Erdogan said. “We, too, have captured Baghdadi’s wife. But we did not make a fuss about it. I am announcing it here for the first time. Likewise we have captured his sister and brother-in-law.”
Mr. Erdogan did not disclose the wife’s name or give details of her capture. Mr. al-Baghdadi is thought to have had four wives. Three women were killed in the raid in which Mr. al-Baghdadi died on the night of Oct. 26, according to American officials. Mr. Erdogan did not disclose the wife’s name or give details of her capture.
Mr. al-Baghdadi was thought to have four wives, but it is unclear how many of them are alive. American officials have said that three women were killed in the raid in which the terrorist leader died on the night of Oct. 26; but it is unclear whether that included any of his wives.
Mr. al-Baghdadi seems to have relied increasingly on close family members for his security as his self-proclaimed caliphate was defeated and his area of operations curtailed. Another of Mr. al-Baghdadi’s wives was arrested by the Iraqi National Intelligence Service earlier this year, and a courier was killed, according to a senior Iraqi official.
That operation ultimately helped Iraqi and American officials determine Mr. al-Baghdadi’s location in northwestern Syria and set in motion the plan that led to his death.
When he announced that mission, Mr. Trump said that two of the Islamic State leader’s wives had been killed in the raid.
“There were two women — both wives, both wearing vests,” Mr. Trump said at the White House, in response to a question about whether one of Mr. al-Baghdadi’s wives had tried to detonate an explosive vest as commandos closed in. “They never detonated. But they were dead.”
On Wednesday, a senior State Department official said he could not confirm Turkish reports that Mr. al-Baghdadi’s wife, sister and other members of his family had been captured. He also said the State Department knew “almost nothing” about Mr. al-Baghdadi’s successor, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi.
The official, who briefed journalists on the condition that he not be named, said that Mr. al-Qurayshi “appears to be a nobody” and that based on what little that is known about him, “we’re not impressed.”
“If he is in Iraq or Syria, we don’t think he is too long for this world anyway,” the official said. He would not say whether Mr. al-Qurayshi had ever been detained by American forces, as Mr. al-Baghdadi was early in the Iraq war.
Turkish officials have been keen to emphasize Turkey’s role in fighting terrorism and pursuing Islamic State members since Mr. al-Baghdadi’s death in a house a few miles from the Turkish border in an area where the Turkish armed forces operate.Turkish officials have been keen to emphasize Turkey’s role in fighting terrorism and pursuing Islamic State members since Mr. al-Baghdadi’s death in a house a few miles from the Turkish border in an area where the Turkish armed forces operate.
Officials published photographs of three people who they said were Mr. Baghdadi’s elder sister, Rasmiya Awad, 65, her husband and a daughter-in-law, and were detained by Turkish security forces several days ago. The three were living along with five children in a trailer near the town of Azaz, officials said. Officials published photographs of three people they identified as Mr. Baghdadi’s elder sister, Rasmiya Awad, 65, her husband and a daughter-in-law, and said they had been detained by Turkish security forces several days ago. The three were living along with five children in a trailer near the town of Azaz, officials said.
“Much dark propaganda against Turkey has been circulating to raise doubts about our resolve against Daesh,” Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish presidency’s director of communications, posted on Twitter, using another name for the Islamic State. “We have been leading in the fight against terrorism in all its forms.” “Much dark propaganda against Turkey has been circulating to raise doubts about our resolve against Daesh,” Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish presidency’s director of communications, said on Twitter, using another name for the Islamic State. “We have been leading in the fight against terrorism in all its forms.”
Turkey has captured 287 foreign Islamic State members in Syria, including children, since beginning its military operation in the country last month, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Monday. Other officials have said that 54 of those are Turkish citizens.Turkey has captured 287 foreign Islamic State members in Syria, including children, since beginning its military operation in the country last month, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Monday. Other officials have said that 54 of those are Turkish citizens.
Alissa J. Rubin contributed reporting from Baghdad, and Lara Jakes from Washington.