Suspected Islamic State chief Qurayshi killed in Syria, Turkey says

Turkish forces have killed the suspected leader of the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced.

Abu Hussein al-Qurayshi is said to have taken over the group after his predecessor was killed last autumn.

Mr Erdogan told broadcaster TRT Turk the IS leader was “neutralised” in a Turkish MIT intelligence agency operation on Saturday.

IS has so far made no comment on the reported operation.

The BBC has been unable to independently verify President Erdogan’s claim.

The MIT intelligence agency had been following Qurayshi for a “long time”, Mr Erdogan said.

“We will continue our struggle with terrorist organisations without any discrimination,” he added, providing no further details.

Read more: BBC News