Turkey Deports 11 French Nationals Linked To IS - Reports

Turkish authorities have deported 11 French nationals said to be members of the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia), media reported on Monday

ISTANBUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th December, 2019) Turkish authorities have deported 11 French nationals said to be members of the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia), media reported on Monday.

This is in accordance with a statement made by Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu late last month that 11 French nationals were being readied for deportation to their country of origin.

In early November, the ministry said that it would deport captive members of the IS terrorist organization to the countries of their origin, starting on November 11. Turkey has since deported several fighters to Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Turkey has thus far repatriated 71 prisoners it deemed terrorists, according to state Anadolu news agency.

Turkey has said it has 2,500 foreign nationals who once wished to join the terrorist group in Syria and Iraq in its prisons. The number of European IS recruits in Turkish captivity remains unclear.

The question of returning IS militants to their European nations has been a conundrum for EU nations. Some nations, such as the United Kingdom, have stripped IS fighters of their citizenship to prevent their return. France, meanwhile, has supported prosecution and sentencing of its citizens in countries where war crimes were committed.