Turkey: 2 of Baghdadi's relatives remanded in custody

KAYSERI, Turkey

Two detained relatives of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the killed leader of Daesh/ISIS, were remanded by a court in central Turkey on Thursday, said judicial sources.

In an anti-terror operation in the city of Kayseri, the provincial gendarmerie command arrested five suspects, including Baghdadi's two relatives, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The relatives were sent to court, where they were put remanded in custody.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi died during a U.S. raid in northwestern Syria this October.

Since recognizing Daesh/ISIS as a terror group in 2013, Turkey has been attacked by the group numerous times, including 10 suicide bombings, seven bombings, and four armed attacks which killed 315 people and injured hundreds.

In response to the attacks, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad, neutralizing 3,500 Daesh/ISIS terrorists and arresting 5,500.

*Writing by Fahri Aksut