Turkish intelligence captures senior ISIS media operative near border

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish intelligence said it captured a senior Islamic State media operative in a cross-border operation after tracking him as he attempted to return to Turkey through illegal channels. The man, identified as Ahmed Kazancı, also known by the code names Ebu Ubeyde and Ebu İbrahim, was detained in a border area following an intelligence-led surveillance operation, Turkish security sources said. According to Anadolu Agency, Kazancı had previously traveled from Turkey to the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, where he joined the group and received military and ideological training. Investigators determined that he took over the organization's so-called "Khorasan province" media structure after Özgür Alton, known as Ebu Yaser et-Türki, was taken into custody earlier. The sources said Kazancı survived Pakistani airstrikes targeting the group before attempting to re-enter Turkey. During interrogations, Kazancı acknowledged his links to senior group figures and admitted to taking part in military, ideological, media and propaganda activities within Islamic State ranks, the sources said. Turkish authorities said the operation disrupted the group's planning inside Turkey and led to the exposure of new cell networks. Separately, Alton was captured in early June in a joint operation by Turkish and Pakistani intelligence and brought back to Turkey, according to the same sources. No further details on the latest operation were immediately available.