A former Islamic State fighter suspected of masterminding a deadly attack on Istanbul airport in 2016 was killed during a special operation in ex-Soviet Georgia last week, a spokeswoman for Georgia&#39;s state security service said on Friday.

Akhmed Chatayev was named by Turkish media and a US&nbsp;congressman as the mastermind of the suicide bombing of Istanbul airport in 2016 which killed 45 people. His involvement has not been corroborated by Turkish officials.

&quot;It&#39;s confirmed that one of those killed during the operation is Akhmed Chatayev,&quot; Nino Giorgobiani, a spokeswoman for Georgia&#39;s state security service, told a news briefing. Giorgobiani said that Chatayev blew himself up.&nbsp;

One Georgian special forces serviceman and two other members of the armed group, which was suspected of terrorism, were killed in the same operation. Four police officers were wounded and one member of the group was also arrested.

The 20-hour operation took place at an apartment block on the outskirts of the Georgian capital Tbilisi last week.

Giorgobiani declined to name the two other armed men killed or disclose the identity of the member of the group who was arrested, the group&#39;s motives, or how they got to Georgia.

&quot;The investigation is ongoing ... We continue to work with our international partners to identify the other two (armed men),&quot; Giorgobiani said.

She said that experts from the United States had been participating in the investigation.

A United Nations sanctions list describes Chatayev as a senior figure in Islamic State responsible for training Russian-speaking militants.&nbsp;

A veteran of Chechnya&#39;s conflict with Moscow during which he lost an arm, he lived in Georgia&#39;s Pankisi Gorge, a remote area populated largely by people from the Kist community, ethnic Chechens whose ancestors came to mainly Christian Georgia in the 1800s.

When, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Chechnya rose up in an armed rebellion against Moscow&#39;s rule, the Kist community were drawn to the fight. Thousands of refugees arrived from Chechnya, and some insurgents used the gorge to regroup and prepare new attacks.

Chatayev was wounded and arrested in Georgia in August 2012 following a clash between the Georgian police and a group of militants, who were allegedly trying to cross the Georgian-Russian border and move to Dagestan.

'It's confirmed that one of those killed during the operation is Akhmed Chatayev,' said Nino Giorgobiani, a spokeswoman for Georgia's state security service

A former Islamic State fighter suspected of masterminding a deadly attack on Istanbul airport in 2016 was killed during a special operation in ex-Soviet Georgia last week, a spokeswoman for Georgia's state security service said on Friday. Akhmed Chatayev was named by Turkish media and a US congressman as the mastermind of the suicide bombing of Istanbul airport in 2016 which killed 45 people. His involvement has not been corroborated by Turkish officials. "It's confirmed that one of those killed during the operation is Akhmed Chatayev," Nino Giorgobiani, a spokeswoman for Georgia's state security service, told a news briefing. Giorgobiani said that Chatayev blew himself up. One Georgian special forces serviceman and two other members of the armed group, which was suspected of terrorism, were killed in the same operation. Four police officers were wounded and one member of the group was also arrested. The 20-hour operation took place at an apartment block on the outskirts of the Georgian capital Tbilisi last week. Giorgobiani declined to name the two other armed men killed or disclose the identity of the member of the group who was arrested, the group's motives, or how they got to Georgia. "The investigation is ongoing ... We continue to work with our international partners to identify the other two (armed men)," Giorgobiani said. She said that experts from the United States had been participating in the investigation. A United Nations sanctions list describes Chatayev as a senior figure in Islamic State responsible for training Russian-speaking militants. A veteran of Chechnya's conflict with Moscow during which he lost an arm, he lived in Georgia's Pankisi Gorge, a remote area populated largely by people from the Kist community, ethnic Chechens whose ancestors came to mainly Christian Georgia in the 1800s. When, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Chechnya rose up in an armed rebellion against Moscow's rule, the Kist community were drawn to the fight. Thousands of refugees arrived from Chechnya, and some insurgents used the gorge to regroup and prepare new attacks. Chatayev was wounded and arrested in Georgia in August 2012 following a clash between the Georgian police and a group of militants, who were allegedly trying to cross the Georgian-Russian border and move to Dagestan.

Suspect in Istanbul airport bombing killed last week: Georgia

Two suspected Islamic State jihadists have been detained at Istanbul&#39;s Ataturk airport days after it was hit by suicide bombers, as Turkish authorities move to boost security at sensitive sites. 
 
Dogan news agency said the two suspects held late Sunday were Kyrgyz nationals, identifying them only by their initials, KV and FMI, aged 25 and 35 respectively. 
 
Police found night-vision binoculars and military-style clothes in their suitcases, the agency said, along with two passports in different names. 
 
The pair were questioned by anti-terror police in Istanbul. It was not clear whether they had been leaving or arriving at the airport. 
 
Their detention came as 13 suspects, including three foreigners, were charged Sunday over the June 28 gun and suicide bomb assault at the airport that killed 45 people including 19 foreigners. 
 
Officials believe the Islamic State group was behind the attack, the worst in a series to hit Turkey&#39;s biggest city this year. 
 
In total police have detained 29 people &quot;including foreigners&quot; in connection with the airport assault, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said. 
 
Yildirim said Monday that police were on high alert and had boosted their presence at the airport and other sensitive Istanbul sites including metro stations and the Marmaray rail tunnel. 
 
A team of 80 special forces troops have been patrolling Ataturk airport, one of Europe&#39;s busiest hubs, since Sunday. 
 
Last week&#39;s carnage &quot;followed a new model&quot; of attack in Turkey, Yildirim said, noting that the bombers had first sprayed passengers with bullets, allowing them to get inside the terminal before blowing themselves up. 
 
Of more than 200 people injured, 47 are still in hospital. 
 
Authorities believe the attackers were a Russian, an Uzbek and a Kyrgyz national. 
 
State news agency Anadolu has named two of them as Rakim Bulgarov and Vadim Osmanov, without giving their nationalities. 
 
Central Asia&#39;s former Soviet republics have been a major source of foreign jihadists travelling to fight with IS and other extremist groups in Iraq and Syria. 
 
Turkish media have identified the strike&#39;s organiser as Akhmed Chatayev, the Chechen leader of an IS cell in Istanbul who allegedly masterminded two other deadly attacks that killed tourists in the city. 
 
Turkey has been rocked by a series of attacks over the past year, blamed on both IS jihadists and Kurdish rebels. 
 
(AFP)

Turkey has been rocked by a series of attacks over the past year, blamed on both IS jihadists and Kurdish rebels

Two suspected Islamic State jihadists have been detained at Istanbul's Ataturk airport days after it was hit by suicide bombers, as Turkish authorities move to boost security at sensitive sites. Dogan news agency said the two suspects held late Sunday were Kyrgyz nationals, identifying them only by their initials, KV and FMI, aged 25 and 35 respectively. Police found night-vision binoculars and military-style clothes in their suitcases, the agency said, along with two passports in different names. The pair were questioned by anti-terror police in Istanbul. It was not clear whether they had been leaving or arriving at the airport. Their detention came as 13 suspects, including three foreigners, were charged Sunday over the June 28 gun and suicide bomb assault at the airport that killed 45 people including 19 foreigners. Officials believe the Islamic State group was behind the attack, the worst in a series to hit Turkey's biggest city this year. In total police have detained 29 people "including foreigners" in connection with the airport assault, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said. Yildirim said Monday that police were on high alert and had boosted their presence at the airport and other sensitive Istanbul sites including metro stations and the Marmaray rail tunnel. A team of 80 special forces troops have been patrolling Ataturk airport, one of Europe's busiest hubs, since Sunday. Last week's carnage "followed a new model" of attack in Turkey, Yildirim said, noting that the bombers had first sprayed passengers with bullets, allowing them to get inside the terminal before blowing themselves up. Of more than 200 people injured, 47 are still in hospital. Authorities believe the attackers were a Russian, an Uzbek and a Kyrgyz national. State news agency Anadolu has named two of them as Rakim Bulgarov and Vadim Osmanov, without giving their nationalities. Central Asia's former Soviet republics have been a major source of foreign jihadists travelling to fight with IS and other extremist groups in Iraq and Syria. Turkish media have identified the strike's organiser as Akhmed Chatayev, the Chechen leader of an IS cell in Istanbul who allegedly masterminded two other deadly attacks that killed tourists in the city. Turkey has been rocked by a series of attacks over the past year, blamed on both IS jihadists and Kurdish rebels. (AFP)

IS suspects held at Istanbul airport days after attack

akhmed-chatayev

Akhmed Chatayev, News on Akhmed Chatayev, stories on Akhmed Chatayev, articles on Akhmed Chatayev, Akhmed Chatayev stories at Wion, Akhmed Chatayev news, Akhmed Chatayev latest news

akhmed chatayev

Suspect in Istanbul airport bombing killed last week: Georgia

IS suspects held at Istanbul airport days after attack