The Lebanese army said yesterday that it had detained a wife and child of Islamic State (Isis) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as they crossed from Syria nine days ago.

The woman was identified as Saja al-Dulaimi by a senior Lebanese security official. Lebanese newspaper As-Safir reported that she had been detained in co-ordination with “foreign intelligence.”

It is a blow to Mr Baghdadi and could be used as a bargaining chip against his group, which has captured many Iraqi and Syrian prisoners and declared a caliphate across territory seized in the two countries.

The woman and child were detained in northern Lebanon. Investigators are questioning her at the Defence Ministry.