Foreign nationals held in Russia on way to join IS in Syria

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk [Russia]: A group of foreign nationals, who tried to enter Syria to join the Islamic State extremist group, have been detained in Russia’s Far Eastern Sakhalin Island.

“A group of people from Central Asian countries, who intended to enter Syria via third states to take part in the activities of the Islamic State group, was uncovered in 2016. All of them have resided in Russia illegally,” TASS news agency quoted border guards as saying in a statement.

One of the detainees was wanted by Uzbekistan for extremism-related crimes and mercenary activities.

At the moment, four detainees were deported to their home countries and handed over to local authorities for further investigation. (ANI)