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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Suspected Islamic State chief Qurayshi killed in Syria, Turkey says | Suspected Islamic State chief Qurayshi killed in Syria, Turkey says |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Turkish forces operate against jihadists in northern Syria | Turkish forces operate against jihadists in northern Syria |
| Turkish forces have killed the suspected leader of the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced. | |
| Abu Hussein al-Qurayshi is said to have taken over the group after his predecessor was killed last autumn. | Abu Hussein al-Qurayshi is said to have taken over the group after his predecessor was killed last autumn. |
| Mr Erdogan told broadcaster TRT Turk the IS leader was "neutralised" in a Turkish MIT intelligence agency operation on Saturday. | Mr Erdogan told broadcaster TRT Turk the IS leader was "neutralised" in a Turkish MIT intelligence agency operation on Saturday. |
| IS has so far made no comment on the reported operation. | IS has so far made no comment on the reported operation. |
| The BBC has been unable to independently verify President Erdogan's claim. | The BBC has been unable to independently verify President Erdogan's claim. |
| The MIT intelligence agency had been following Qurayshi for a "long time", Mr Erdogan said. | The MIT intelligence agency had been following Qurayshi for a "long time", Mr Erdogan said. |
| "We will continue our struggle with terrorist organisations without any discrimination," he added, providing no further details. | "We will continue our struggle with terrorist organisations without any discrimination," he added, providing no further details. |
| Syrian sources quoted by Reuters news agency said the operation took place in the northern town of Jandaris, close to the Turkish border. | Syrian sources quoted by Reuters news agency said the operation took place in the northern town of Jandaris, close to the Turkish border. |
| Last November, the jihadist group announced the death of its leader, Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi. The US said he was killed in an operation by the rebel Free Syrian Army in south-west Syria in mid-October 2022. | Last November, the jihadist group announced the death of its leader, Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi. The US said he was killed in an operation by the rebel Free Syrian Army in south-west Syria in mid-October 2022. |
| He took over the group after previous leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi set off a blast killing himself and his family as US special forces rounded on his hideout after a gunfight in February 2022. | He took over the group after previous leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi set off a blast killing himself and his family as US special forces rounded on his hideout after a gunfight in February 2022. |
| That operation "removed a major terrorist threat to the world", US President Joe Biden said at the time. | That operation "removed a major terrorist threat to the world", US President Joe Biden said at the time. |
| IS once held 88,000sq km (34,000sq miles) of territory stretching from north-eastern Syria across northern Iraq and imposed its brutal rule on almost eight million people. | IS once held 88,000sq km (34,000sq miles) of territory stretching from north-eastern Syria across northern Iraq and imposed its brutal rule on almost eight million people. |
| The group was driven from its last piece of territory in 2019, but the UN warned in July that it remained a persistent threat. | The group was driven from its last piece of territory in 2019, but the UN warned in July that it remained a persistent threat. |
| It is estimated to have between 6,000 and 10,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq, who are based mostly in rural areas and continue to carry out hit-and-run attacks, ambushes and roadside bombings. | It is estimated to have between 6,000 and 10,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq, who are based mostly in rural areas and continue to carry out hit-and-run attacks, ambushes and roadside bombings. |
| IS regional affiliates also pose threats in other conflict zones across the world. The UN said the most vigorous and well-established networks were based in Afghanistan, Somalia and the Lake Chad basin. | IS regional affiliates also pose threats in other conflict zones across the world. The UN said the most vigorous and well-established networks were based in Afghanistan, Somalia and the Lake Chad basin. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Turkey | Turkey |
| Recep Tayyip Erdogan | Recep Tayyip Erdogan |
| Islamic State group | Islamic State group |
| Syria | Syria |