Türkiye Captures Suspected ISIS-Khorasan Operative in Afghanistan-Pakistan Region

ANKARA (Terror Monitor) — Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) has captured a Turkish national suspected of belonging to the Islamic State’s Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region and transferred him to Türkiye, Turkish security sources said on Friday.

The suspect was identified as Uğur Bahadır, who allegedly operated under the code name “Abdullah.” According to Türkiye’s state-run Anadolu Agency, Bahadır travelled from Türkiye to the Afghanistan-Pakistan region in 2024, where he joined ISIS-K and subsequently carried out various assignments at several camps operated by the group.

Turkish intelligence reportedly launched the operation after identifying Bahadır’s activities and links to the organization. He was subsequently detained in the region and brought to Türkiye for further investigation.

According to information attributed to Turkish security sources, Bahadır provided details during his initial questioning about his contacts within ISIS-K, the training he received, the tasks assigned to him and the group’s activities in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.

Investigators also reportedly questioned him about his links with Özgür Altun, known by the alias “Abu Yasir al-Turki,” who Turkish authorities accuse of coordinating the transfer of ISIS members from Türkiye to the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.

Altun was captured in early 2025 in a joint operation involving Türkiye’s MIT and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. He was subsequently transferred to Türkiye. Anadolu Agency reported at the time that Altun had played a significant role in the group’s recruitment, media and logistical networks, including facilitating the movement of recruits from Europe and Central Asia into the region.

Bahadır was also reportedly in contact with Ahmet Kazancı, who used the aliases “Abu Ubeyde” and “Abu Ibrahim” and was allegedly involved in ISIS’s media operations in the region.

Kazancı was captured by Turkish intelligence in early 2026. Anadolu Agency reported in June that he had operated alongside Altun, participated in ISIS-K camps and taken responsibility for media and propaganda activities after Altun’s arrest.

The latest operation appears to be part of a series of Turkish intelligence efforts targeting ISIS networks and recruitment routes connecting Türkiye with Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Turkish security sources said intelligence operations had disrupted the group’s alleged plans to carry out attacks inside Türkiye. However, authorities have not publicly disclosed specific details about the alleged plots, their intended targets or the timing of any planned attacks.

Turkish media outlets, including Hürriyet Daily News and Türkiye Today, also reported Bahadır’s capture, citing Turkish security sources. Turkish Minute noted that the latest announcement did not provide details about specific targets or the timing of the alleged attack plans.

The claims about Bahadır’s activities and the intelligence gathered during his questioning have not been independently verified. The available reports rely primarily on information provided by Turkish authorities and state-linked media.

The Afghanistan-Pakistan region has remained an important operational area for ISIS-K, which has sought to maintain recruitment, logistical and propaganda networks beyond Afghanistan. Previous Turkish operations have focused on individuals suspected of facilitating the movement of foreign recruits into the region and coordinating activities on behalf of the group.

In June 2025, Turkish and Pakistani intelligence agencies jointly captured Özgür Altun near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The operation followed intelligence-sharing between MIT and ISI, with Altun subsequently transferred to Türkiye for investigation.