TBILISI - 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 U.S. 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.