Turkish Minister Thanks Germany, Netherlands For Agreeing To Repatriate IS Militants

Turkish Minister Thanks Germany, Netherlands for Agreeing to Repatriate IS Militants

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu on Wednesday thanked Germany and the Netherlands for being ready to take back their citizens who joined the ranks of the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia) from Turkey

ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th November, 2019) Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu on Wednesday thanked Germany and the Netherlands for being ready to take back their citizens who joined the ranks of the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia) from Turkey.

On November 11, Turkey started deporting some 2,500 IS militants to their countries of origin. Turkish Deputy Interior Minister Ismail Catakli said that the first group of deported fighters included three German, two Irish, 11 French, and three Danish nationals.

"I would like to thank two countries, Germany and the Netherlands," Soylu said, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency,

He added that these two countries agreed to return "Daesh terrorists with their spouses and children."

Soylu stressed that Ankara's position on the issue was firm and IS terrorists should be taken back to their home countries for trials.

"We are not a hotel or a guest house for terrorists from any country," he added.

Ankara has also repeatedly called on European countries to take back their citizens who joined the IS ranks from Syria and prosecute them at home.