New ISIS Leader Allegedly Arrested in Istanbul

Turkish soldiers during a raid against ISIS members in Istanbul. (Turkish Interior Ministry)
Turkish soldiers during a raid against ISIS members in Istanbul. (Turkish Interior Ministry)
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New ISIS Leader Allegedly Arrested in Istanbul

Turkish soldiers during a raid against ISIS members in Istanbul. (Turkish Interior Ministry)
Turkish soldiers during a raid against ISIS members in Istanbul. (Turkish Interior Ministry)

The new leader of the ISIS terrorist group was allegedly arrested in the Turkish city of Istanbul, media reports said on Thursday.

Zeid al-Iraqi, known as Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi, was detained days ago in the city.

He assumed the leadership of the terror organization after his predecessor, Abu Ibrahim al-Qurayshi, blew himself up in an American raid in Syria in February.

Turkey's OdaTV confirmed the arrest without providing details.

It said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will make an announcement about the arrest.

Senior Turkish officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the arrest was made during a recent raid in Istanbul, reported Bloomberg.

They said counter-terrorism police and security intelligence raided al-Qurayshi's house after long surveillance.

No statement has been made by the Interior Ministry or any official.

Qurayshi was announced as the new leader of ISIS weeks after the killing of his predecessor.



Russia’s Medvedev Warns the US: Avoid World War Three

 Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council and leader of the United Russia party Dmitry Medvedev speaks during a meeting of the United Russia party's programme commission via videoconference at the Gorki state residence outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (Ekaterina Shtukina, Sputnik Pool Photo via AP)
Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council and leader of the United Russia party Dmitry Medvedev speaks during a meeting of the United Russia party's programme commission via videoconference at the Gorki state residence outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (Ekaterina Shtukina, Sputnik Pool Photo via AP)
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Russia’s Medvedev Warns the US: Avoid World War Three

 Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council and leader of the United Russia party Dmitry Medvedev speaks during a meeting of the United Russia party's programme commission via videoconference at the Gorki state residence outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (Ekaterina Shtukina, Sputnik Pool Photo via AP)
Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council and leader of the United Russia party Dmitry Medvedev speaks during a meeting of the United Russia party's programme commission via videoconference at the Gorki state residence outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (Ekaterina Shtukina, Sputnik Pool Photo via AP)

Dmitry Medvedev, a senior Russian security official who served as Russia's president from 2008 to 2012, warned the United States on Saturday to take Russia's nuclear warnings seriously to avoid World War Three.

Medvedev, who serves as deputy chairman of Russia's powerful security council, told RT broadcaster that top US officials did not want World War Three but for some reason they believe "that the Russians will never cross a certain line."

"They are wrong," Medvedev told RT, adding that Moscow believed the current US and European political establishments lacked the "foresight and subtlety of mind" displayed by the late Henry Kissinger.

"If we are talking about the existence of our state, as the president of our country has repeatedly said, your humble servant has said, others have said, of course, we simply will not have any choice," Medvedev said.

The 2-1/2-year-old war in Ukraine is entering what Russian officials say is its most dangerous phase as Russian forces are advancing in eastern Ukraine and the West considers how to shore up Ukraine.

Russia has been signaling for weeks to the West that Moscow will respond if the United States and its allies help Ukraine fire longer-range missiles deep into Russia, while NATO says that North Korea has sent troops to western Russia.

Russian officials say the leaders of the West have failed to heed the signals Moscow has sent over European security and the escalation of the war in Ukraine.

US diplomats say the relationship with Russia is worse than at any time since the depths of the Cold War but that Washington does not seek to escalate the war in Ukraine.