Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) has successfully captured a senior operative of the Daesh-Khorasan Province network, identified as Ahmet Kazanci, who was reportedly responsible for overseeing the group’s Turkish-language media and propaganda activities.
According to Turkish authorities, Kazanci, who also used the aliases Abu Ubeyde and Abu Ibrahim, played a key role within the organization’s communication and recruitment apparatus. His capture is being viewed as a significant setback to the group’s external outreach and propaganda operations.
Investigations revealed that Kazanci had previously traveled from Türkiye to Afghanistan, where he is believed to have joined Daesh-Khorasan and received both ideological and operational training. Authorities further stated that he was actively involved in the group’s media structures, contributing to the dissemination of propaganda content in the Turkish language.
Officials noted that Kazanci was identified as the successor to Ozgur Altun (Abu Yasir al-Turki), a senior figure who previously led the group’s Turkish-language media wing. Altun was earlier arrested by law enforcement agencies while attempting to cross from Afghanistan into Pakistan and was subsequently repatriated to Türkiye.
Following Altun’s arrest, Kazanci reportedly assumed responsibility for continuing the organization’s media and propaganda operations, maintaining communication channels and supporting recruitment-related activities linked to Türkiye.
During questioning, Kazanci is reported to have acknowledged his association with Altun and provided details regarding his involvement within the Daesh-Khorasan network. He admitted to receiving both armed and ideological training in Afghanistan and described his role in the group’s propaganda and media structure.
Authorities stated that preliminary findings from the operation have provided valuable intelligence regarding recruitment routes, communication strategies, and operational linkages between individuals traveling from Türkiye to Afghanistan to join the organization.
Turkish officials further emphasized that the operation has disrupted planned activities targeting Türkiye, exposed recruitment mechanisms used by the network, and contributed critical intelligence related to ongoing and potential threats.
Daesh-Khorasan Province (Daesh-K), an Afghanistan-based branch of the Daesh terrorist organization, has been identified as a key regional hub for extremist recruitment and propaganda dissemination.
Officials reiterated that Türkiye will continue its counterterrorism efforts with determination, focusing on dismantling networks that facilitate recruitment, propaganda, and cross-border militant activity.
The successful operation underscores the continued commitment of Turkish intelligence to countering extremist threats and protecting national security through proactive and intelligence-led measures.
