BEIRUT: Lebanese authorities detained and interrogated a suspected Daesh commander and referred his case to a special court, Lebanon’s state news agency NNA reported on Thursday.
Security forces arrested the man in Arsal, a town in northeastern Lebanon near the enclave Daesh held until a Lebanese army offensive pushed them from it last week.
During interrogation the man confessed to participation in several attacks in Lebanon as well as recruitment, smuggling, kidnapping, arms procurement and financing Daesh operations, NNA reported.
Also on Thursday, a military investigative judge charged 39 individuals of Syrian, Palestinian and Lebanese nationalities with belonging to and promoting the ideology of Islamic State.
Daesh has carried out several attacks in Lebanon in recent years, including a series of suicide bombings in the small town of Al-Qaa in the Bekaa valley a year ago.
Lebanon says it has arrested Daesh commander
Lebanon says it has arrested Daesh commander
Turkey's Erdogan hails 2.6bn euro jet deal with Spain
- Under the deal, Spain will procure Turkish-made HURJET training aircraft
ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday welcomed an agreement under which Spain will procure Turkish-made HURJET training aircraft, describing it as evidence of Turkey's "pioneering role" in defence and aviation industry.
Under the deal, signed this week, the Spanish Air Force will acquire 30 HURJET aircraft from Turkey in a contract valued at around 2.6 billion euros, according to Turkish officials.
Speaking at an event in Istanbul, Erdogan said Turkey had become a globally recognised player in the defence and aviation sectors.
"Most recently, the agreement we concluded with Spain has confirmed our country's pioneering role in this field," Erdogan said.
He added that the inclusion of HURJET in the inventory of a European Union and NATO member state would further expand Turkey's opportunities in the coming years.
On Tuesday, Haluk Gorgun, head of Turkey's defence industry agency, described the agreement as more than a simple aircraft sale.
"This is not merely a training aircraft deal," Gorgun said. "It is a comprehensive package that includes ground systems, simulation systems, maintenance and sustainment services, as well as a cooperation model."
He added that the agreement underscored the deepening of defence industry and high-technology cooperation between Turkey and Spain, noting that the aircraft configuration would be updated over time to meet Spain's specific operational requirements.
Turkey has steadily expanded its defence exports in recent years, including drones that have been sold to multiple countries.
Erdogan said Turkey's defence exports, which stood at $248 million in 2002, had increased nearly 40 fold to reach $9.8 billion in 2025.
