Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Abu Hussein al-Qurashi, the suspected leader of the Islamic State terrorist group, had been killed in an operation by Turkish intelligence agencies.
(The Voice of Deutsche Welle Chinese Network) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday (April 30),“Islamic State” (IS) organizationAbu Hussein al-Qurashi, its suspected leader, has been killed in Syria.
“This person was eliminated yesterday as part of the MIT operation in Syria yesterday,” Erdogan said in an interview. He said Qurahi had been hunted by Turkish intelligence for “a long time.” “.
“We will continue to fight against terrorist organizations without any discrimination,” Erdogan stressed.
The operation took place in Jindires, a small town northwest of Afrin, where Turkish intelligence and security forces targeted an abandoned farm used as an madrasah, AFP reported. The Islamic State has appointed a successor in November 2022 after its predecessor, Abu Al-Hassan Al-hashemi Al-Quraishi, was killed in an operation in southern Syria, Abu Hussein al-Quraishi. Qurashi).
Abu Hussein al-Qurashi, the suspected leader of the Islamic State (IS) group, was killed in the earthquake-ravaged Syrian city of Dschindires
The Rise and Fall of the Islamic State
In 2014, inal-BaghdadiUnder the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the “Islamic State” has controlled large areas of Iraq and Syria and declared the establishment of the “Islamic Caliphate”.
However, the group was eventually driven out of the territory following a counter-campaign by U.S.-backed Iraqi and Syrian forces, as well as Syrian forces backed by Russia, Iran and various militias.Baghdadi was killed in a US-led operation in 2019.
Despite losing most of its land, ISIS continues to carry out attacks in Syria and elsewhere. On April 16, suspected members of the group killed at least 41 people in Syria. At present, members of the organization are still hiding in remote areas, and the multinational coalition led by the United States and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) coalition are still carrying out operations against it.
Chess players and pieces in northern Syria
U.S. troops retreat
In the past few years, the US military has provided support to the Kurdish armed forces, assisted the latter in fighting the “Islamic State” terrorist organization, and successfully controlled a large area of northern Syria. In early October, U.S. President Trump suddenly announced that U.S. troops would withdraw from the area bordering Turkey. This sudden move disrupted the situation in northern Syria.
Chess players and pieces in northern Syria
Turkic attack
The withdrawal of the US military is equivalent to giving Türkiye a permit to send troops. Northern Syria, with its large Kurdish population, is now virtually autonomous. The Kurdish armed “People’s Protection Army” (YPG) has close ties with the “PKK” in Turkey, which is considered by Turkey to be a terrorist organization that incites secession. Therefore, Turkey believes that the YPG poses a threat to its national security and requires a cross-border strike.
Chess players and pieces in northern Syria
Fight against the Turks
The YPG was once an important ally of the US military in the fight against the “Islamic State” terrorist organization in the region, and now they are facing the pressure of the Turkish army. The YPG militants lack air defense forces, let alone air power, and are at an absolute disadvantage when facing the well-equipped Turkish army.
Chess players and pieces in northern Syria
Betrayed
The YPG is the largest branch of the “Syrian Democratic Forces” (SDF). In addition, there are militias of Arab and Christian groups, which currently control the territory of northeastern Syria. The SDF, which has made an important contribution to the fight against the Islamic State, now feels betrayed by the United States. The SDF has warned that Turkey’s offensive will lead to the resurgence of “Islamic State” terrorists in the region.
Chess players and pieces in northern Syria
tacit transaction
Over the years, the relationship between the Assad government forces and the SDF has been very delicate, including cooperation, conflict, and tacit understanding. After Turkey launched a military operation across the border, the Kurds struck a deal with government forces to move into the north to fight Turkish forces.
Chess players and pieces in northern Syria
Putin snickering?
Russia has been an important ally of the Assad regime. In the current chaos, Russia seems to have become a middleman between the Assad regime and Turkey, and the Russian army has also moved in quickly, becoming a buffer between the Syrian government forces and the Turkish army. Russia has previously accused the United States of dividing Syria by supporting the Kurds in the north.
Chess players and pieces in northern Syria
Turkish allies
Turkey also has an ally inside Syria: the Syrian National Army (SNA). This armed organization was born out of the Syrian opposition armed “Free Syrian Army” in previous years. They not only fought against the Assad government forces, but also attacked the Kurdish-dominated SDF. With the assistance of Turkey, SNA fighters are now also attacking Kurdish forces.
Chess players and pieces in northern Syria
Resurgence?
The terrorist organization “Islamic State” may come to the fore again. Originally, they were basically defeated in March this year, and tens of thousands of armed personnel and their family members were detained in prisoner camps in Kurdish-controlled areas. After the Turkish army launched an attack on the Kurdish armed forces, it is estimated that nearly a thousand members of the “Islamic State” have escaped from the prison camp. If the situation is further chaotic, the “Islamic State” is likely to reorganize its armed forces in the region.