State media: Turkey captures senior Islamic State figure

In this Nov 29, 2016 file photo, Iraqi Army soldiers celebrate as they hold a flag of the Islamic State group they captured during a military operation to regain control of a village outside Mosul, Iraq.  (HADI MIZBAN / AP)

ISTANBUL – Turkish police captured senior Islamic State figure Bashar Hattab Ghazal Al Sumaidai, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted by state-owned Anadolu news agency as saying.

President Erdogan was quoted as saying the militant was transferred to judicial authorities in Turkey after interrogation by police and intelligence personnel

The militant, code-named Abu Zeyd, was captured in Turkey in an operation carried out by police and Turkey's intelligence agency, Erdogan told journalists on his return from a trip to the Balkans on Thursday, Anadolu said.

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He was quoted as saying the militant was transferred to judicial authorities in Turkey after interrogation by police and intelligence personnel.

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