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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/11/turkey-begins-deporting-foreign-members-of-isis-islamic-state
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| Turkey says it has begun deporting foreign members of Isis | Turkey says it has begun deporting foreign members of Isis |
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| Detained IS suspects being repatriated even if stripped of citizenship, says Ankara | Detained IS suspects being repatriated even if stripped of citizenship, says Ankara |
| Turkey says it has begun deporting foreign members of Islamic State held in custody, in a policy that risks diplomatic fallout with its European allies. | Turkey says it has begun deporting foreign members of Islamic State held in custody, in a policy that risks diplomatic fallout with its European allies. |
| One US citizen had already been repatriated and seven German nationals were due to be flown home on 14 November, the interior ministry spokesperson İsmail Çataklı said on Monday. Preparations to deport two Irish, 11 French, and three Danish citizens were also under way, he said. The suspects were not immediately identified. | One US citizen had already been repatriated and seven German nationals were due to be flown home on 14 November, the interior ministry spokesperson İsmail Çataklı said on Monday. Preparations to deport two Irish, 11 French, and three Danish citizens were also under way, he said. The suspects were not immediately identified. |
| The interior minister, Süleyman Soylu, said last week that Ankara would begin to send Isis militants back to their home countries from Monday even if they had been stripped of their citizenship, saying Turkey was not a “hotel” for foreign jihadis. | The interior minister, Süleyman Soylu, said last week that Ankara would begin to send Isis militants back to their home countries from Monday even if they had been stripped of their citizenship, saying Turkey was not a “hotel” for foreign jihadis. |
| The broadcaster NTV quoted Çataklı as saying that “three more Islamic State militants at deportation centres will be sent back today”. | The broadcaster NTV quoted Çataklı as saying that “three more Islamic State militants at deportation centres will be sent back today”. |
| Turkey aimed to repatriate about 2,500 militants, the majority of whom would be sent to European Union nations, the state broadcaster TRT Haber said, adding that there were 813 jihadists at 12 deportation centres around the country. | Turkey aimed to repatriate about 2,500 militants, the majority of whom would be sent to European Union nations, the state broadcaster TRT Haber said, adding that there were 813 jihadists at 12 deportation centres around the country. |
| Ankara has repeatedly criticised European nations in particular for refusing to take back any of the foreign nationals held in Turkish prisons and for stripping them of their citizenship. | Ankara has repeatedly criticised European nations in particular for refusing to take back any of the foreign nationals held in Turkish prisons and for stripping them of their citizenship. |
| A further 287 people, including women and children, had been captured by Turkey as a result of Ankara’s invasion of Kurdish-held areas of Syria last month, Soylu said. | A further 287 people, including women and children, had been captured by Turkey as a result of Ankara’s invasion of Kurdish-held areas of Syria last month, Soylu said. |
| Turkey has not given total numbers and nationalities of those it is planning to send home, or details on how such a policy will work. Many countries request passenger lists for both military and commercial flights before a plane is allowed to enter their airspace. | Turkey has not given total numbers and nationalities of those it is planning to send home, or details on how such a policy will work. Many countries request passenger lists for both military and commercial flights before a plane is allowed to enter their airspace. |
| Several European countries, including the UK, have stripped Isis fighters of their citizenship to prevent their return, leaving many legally stateless and creating a problem for Ankara. | Several European countries, including the UK, have stripped Isis fighters of their citizenship to prevent their return, leaving many legally stateless and creating a problem for Ankara. |
| Turkey’s foreign ministry directed requests for comment to the interior ministry. The interior ministry did not immediately respond. | Turkey’s foreign ministry directed requests for comment to the interior ministry. The interior ministry did not immediately respond. |
| The French defence minister Florence Parly told French radio on Monday morning that she had no knowledge of any specific repatriation at this point, but she said France had a strict repatriation protocol in place with Turkey “which allows us to repatriate French terrorists when the situation arises.” She said this protocol was in place to avoid any unauthorised return to France by French fighters. | The French defence minister Florence Parly told French radio on Monday morning that she had no knowledge of any specific repatriation at this point, but she said France had a strict repatriation protocol in place with Turkey “which allows us to repatriate French terrorists when the situation arises.” She said this protocol was in place to avoid any unauthorised return to France by French fighters. |
| A French foreign ministry source told AFP that jihadist suspects were frequently repatriated to France under a 2014 agreement with Turkey, and that the system was functioning well. “Jihadists and their families are regularly sent back to France and arrested as they leave the airplane. Most of the time it is done secretly. The news is not published, or released much later,” the source said. | |
| British diplomats said the policy did not appear to apply to UK nationals held by Turkey. Aine Davis, a member of the cell known as “The Beatles”, who beheaded hostages in Syria, is serving seven and-a-half-years in a Turkish prison. | British diplomats said the policy did not appear to apply to UK nationals held by Turkey. Aine Davis, a member of the cell known as “The Beatles”, who beheaded hostages in Syria, is serving seven and-a-half-years in a Turkish prison. |
| The British woman Tooba Gondal is also believed to be in Turkish custody, having escaped a Kurdish-run detention centre during the recent fighting in north Syria. | The British woman Tooba Gondal is also believed to be in Turkish custody, having escaped a Kurdish-run detention centre during the recent fighting in north Syria. |
| Since 2010, the UK has stripped more than 100 people of British citizenship over their alleged links to Isis, al-Qaida, al-Shabab and other terrorist groups. The policy has led to prolonged legal battles in some high-profile cases including those of the Isis member Shamima Begum and the alleged member Jack Letts, both of whom are held by Kurdish forces in Syria. | Since 2010, the UK has stripped more than 100 people of British citizenship over their alleged links to Isis, al-Qaida, al-Shabab and other terrorist groups. The policy has led to prolonged legal battles in some high-profile cases including those of the Isis member Shamima Begum and the alleged member Jack Letts, both of whom are held by Kurdish forces in Syria. |
| Ankara launched an offensive against Kurdish fighters it considers to be terrorists in early October after Donald Trump withdrew US troops from the region that had acted as a buffer between Turkey and Syria. | Ankara launched an offensive against Kurdish fighters it considers to be terrorists in early October after Donald Trump withdrew US troops from the region that had acted as a buffer between Turkey and Syria. |
| About 90,000 men, women and children with links to Isis are being held by Kurdish forces in northern Syria. The Turkish offensive has prompted widespread concern over the fate of the prisoners, with both Turkey’s western allies and Syria’s Kurds warning it could hinder the fight against Isis and aid its resurgence. | About 90,000 men, women and children with links to Isis are being held by Kurdish forces in northern Syria. The Turkish offensive has prompted widespread concern over the fate of the prisoners, with both Turkey’s western allies and Syria’s Kurds warning it could hinder the fight against Isis and aid its resurgence. |
| Meanwhile in The Hague, a Dutch court said the government must use “all possible means”, including a US offer of help with repatriation, to bring home children whose mothers travelled to Syria to join Isis and other Islamic extremist groups. | |
| Additional reporting by Jon Henley |