Turkey vows to send back ISIS prisoners back to their home countries

Turkey will send back Islamic State group members to their countries of origin, the interior minister said Monday. Suleyman Soylu said in Ankara that members of the extremist group held by Turkey would be returned regardless of countries revoking their citizenship.

Turkey has accused the Syrian Kurdish forces it is fighting in northeastern Syria of releasing IS families from camps last month. There has been a widespread international concern that thousands of IS detainees in Syria could escape. The Turkish Minister said about 1,200 foreign IS fighters were in Turkish prisons and 287 members, including women and children, were re-captured during Turkey’s offensive in Syria.

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The minister has previously said foreign IS members in Syria would be taken to prisons or camps operated by Turkey-backed Syrian fighters in so-called safe zones in northern Syria, including in Jarablus, al-Bab, Azaz, and Afrin. Turkey cleared those areas of IS and Syrian Kurdish fighters, which it deems terrorists, in two previous operations.

He said more fighters were held in deportation centers in Turkey but didn’t provide statistics. The minister hit back at Western nations, including Britain and the Netherlands, for not repatriating their citizens who joined IS or revoking their citizenship. Soylu said Saturday that “we are not a hotel” for any country’s IS members.

After American media reports stated that US forces have targeted and killed the Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Turkey on Sunday claimed that there was 'coordination' between Ankara and Washington before the operation. "Prior to the US Operation in Idlib Province of Syria last night, information exchange and coordination between the military authorities of both countries took place," the Turkish defence ministry said in a tweet. However, the ministry did not share any details or evidence to back up this statement.

Syrian Kurdish forces said 'joint intel' with the US had led to the operation against the chief of so-called Islamic State al-Baghdadi. Meanwhile, as per reports, Turkey was not aware of any operation on al-Baghdadi and was informed after the IS chief died. Official statements regarding this are yet to be made. Iran was informed by sources in Syria that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed.

(With AP inputs)

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