Turkey starts returning Daesh militants, deports US national

Turkey's interior ministry spokesman says seven Daesh terrorists of German origin will be deported on November 14.

Turkish police carry out an anti-terror raid in Istanbul, on February 5, 2017.
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Turkish police carry out an anti-terror raid in Istanbul, on February 5, 2017.

Turkey has repatriated one Daesh terrorist from the US and this week will deport several more terrorists back to Germany, the country's interior ministry said on Monday.

"A US citizen Daesh terrorist has been repatriated after the completion of legal procedures," Ismail Catakli, Ministry of Interior spokesman, told Anadolu Agency.

Seven German national Daesh terrorists will also be deported on November 14, he added.

"Turkey will extradite them no matter what," he said.

TRT World's Yusuf Erim has more on the story.

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The issue of the handling of Daesh members and their families detained in Syria — including foreign members of the terror group — has been controversial, with Turkey arguing foreign-born terrorists should be repatriated to their countries of origin.

Ankara has said that it will send Daesh members back to their countries, but several European countries have refused, saying the terrorists were denationalised.

Thousands deported so far

Turkey has so far deported 7,500 Daesh members, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last week, adding that there are currently 1,149 Daesh terrorists in Turkish prisons.

Since Turkey recognised Daesh as a terrorist group in 2013, the Turkish state has been attacked by the Daesh group numerous times, including 10 suicide bombings, seven bombings, and four armed attacks that killed 315 people, including police officers and soldiers, and injured hundreds.

In response to the attacks, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad, neutralising 3,500 Daesh terrorists and arresting 5,500.

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