Shafaq News- Ankara

Turkish intelligence has arrested a senior ISIS media operative during a security operation near the country's border after a lengthy intelligence-led investigation, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday, citing security sources.

The operation targeted the media infrastructure of ISIS-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), the group's Afghanistan- and Pakistan-based affiliate, and resulted in the arrest of Ahmed Kazanji, who allegedly operated under the aliases “Abu Ubaida” and “Abu Ibrahim.”

Security sources said Kazanji assumed responsibility for the group's media activities in Turkiye after the arrest of Ozgur Altun, also known as “Abu Yasser Al-Turki,” who was detained by Turkish authorities earlier this year.

Investigators found that Kazanji had previously traveled from Turkiye to the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, where he joined ISIS, received military and ideological training, and later took on media and organizational roles within the group.

According to the sources, he worked alongside Altun in recruiting and transferring ISIS members from Turkiye to areas where the group operates and later assumed responsibility for some organizational activities following Altun’s arrest. Intelligence assessments also indicated that Kazanji survived airstrikes targeting ISIS elements in Pakistan and was attempting to re-enter Turkiye through illegal routes to resume activities on behalf of the group.

Earlier this month, Ankara announced the arrest of Ozgur Altun in a joint operation conducted by Turkish and Pakistani intelligence services near the Afghan border before he was transferred to Turkiye for legal proceedings.