Islamic State Chief Baghdadi's top aide was key to his elimination

Iraqi officials on October 27 said that a top aide to Baghdi, Ismael al-Ethawi was key to track wanted terrorist after all se years on October 26. aide reportedly gave m information on how he escaped capture for so many years. Ismael confessed that Baghdi would hold strategic talks with his commanders in moving mini-buses packed with vegetables in order to avoid detection. aide was arrested by Turkish authorities and handed to Iraqis.

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Officials said media that Ethawi gave valuable information which helped Iraqi multi-security ncies team complete missing pieces of puzzle of Baghdi's movements and places he used to hide.

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Ethawi led Iraqi officials and CIA to Baghdi

Details of a total of five men including him were given by Ethawi who used to meet Baghdi, officials ded. All of m used to meet IS leer in Syria and different locations which could be traced following Ethawi's details. Following this, Iraqi officials reportedly decided to coordinate with CIA to deploy more sources inside se areas. This year, Iraqi officials CIA jointly mand to locate Idlib as place where Baghdi was moving from vill to vill with his family and three close aides. Officials furr said that deployed informants spotted an Iraqi man wearing a checkered hedress in an Idlib marketplace and recognised him from a photograph as Ethawi. Just n y followed him which led m to Baghdi's home. se details were sent to CIA and y used a satellite and drones to watch location for past five months, officials explained. On October 25, Baghdi left location with his family for first time, travelling by minibus to a nearby vill which later proved to be his last day to live, official concluded. 

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Ismael al-Ethawi and his involvement with as Qaeda

It was a strategic move to turn militants like Ethawi into critical nts to track Baghdi. former top aide reportedly holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Sciences and was considered by Iraqi intelligence officials to be one of leer's top five aides. His involvement with terrorist groups began in 2006 when he joined Al Qaeda. This is t first time that Ethawi has been held. He was earlier arrested by US forces in 2008 and jailed for four years, according to Iraqi security officials. Since his release in 2012, Ethawi reportedly delivered religious instructions and selected Islamic State commanders. In 2017, he fled to Syria with his Syrian wife as Al Qaeda collapsed. Turkish and Iraqi intelligence nts also captured senior Islamic State leers, including four Iraqis and one Syrian earlier this year, officials said media.

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(With inputs from ncies)