Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced an intelligence operation killed Islamic State (IS) chief Abu Hussein al-Qurashi on Sunday. The raid occurred in Jandaris, a Syrian border town controlled by Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA). IS chose al-Qurashi to lead the organization after its previous head was killed by Turkish forces in November 2022.
IS has lost significant territory to joint US-Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq, Iranian-backed Syrian forces, and Russian paramilitaries. Many IS fighters are hiding in remote border villages near Turkey and Iraq, where Erdogan hopes to establish a 30 km buffer zone and resettle Syrian refugees. This strike also comes as Erdogan prepares for re-election as President in a highly contested race.
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