12 Nov

Turkey says it has started repatriating foreign members of the Islamic State militant group whom it has kept in custody.

More than 40,000 people from over 80 countries are said to have joined the militant group. Turkey holds about 1,200 of them in custody.

A Turkish interior ministry spokesperson told local media outlets on Monday that a US national who was an Islamic State member had been deported from Turkey.

The spokesperson also said a German and a Danish national would be also deported later on Monday and that preparations to repatriate 11 French citizens are underway.

European nations have refused to take back citizens fighting for the group and stripped them of their citizenship, out of fear that their return would contribute to the spread of extremism in their countries.

Ankara criticized such a move, saying Turkey is not a "hotel" for foreign terrorists.

It is unclear whether Turkey is repatriating the foreign militants in coordination with the countries of their origin. Experts say some countries may have trouble accepting them.

nhk