Erdogan stated that the alleged leader had been monitored for a long time before the operation was launched. The raid took place near the northern Syrian town of Jinderes, which is controlled by Turkey-backed rebel groups, according to Syrian local and security sources.
“This individual was neutralized as part of an operation by the Turkish national intelligence organization in Syria yesterday,” Erdogan said in an interview with TRT Turk broadcaster on Sunday.
Residents of the area reported that an operation had targeted an abandoned farm being used as a school, leading to clashes on the edge of the town overnight from Saturday into Sunday. A large explosion was heard before the area was encircled by security forces to prevent anyone from approaching.
“There was no announcement from Daesh,” Erdogan said, adding that “We will continue our struggle with terrorist organizations without any discrimination.”
Al-Qurashi became the leader of the Daesh terror group in November 2022 after his predecessor was killed.
The group took over vast swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014, with its head at the time, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declaring a so-called caliphate across an area. However, the group lost its grip on the territory after anti-terror campaigns by Syrian and Iraqi militaries backed by Iran, Russia, and various resistance groups in the region.
Its remaining elements are now mostly hiding in remote areas of Syria and Iraq, and still launch attacks from time to time.