12 ISIL militants en-route to Syria detained in Turkey

ISTANBUL

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A total of 12 suspected Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants have been detained in Turkey while preparing to cross the border into Syria.

Eight militants, including seven foreign nationals, were detained in southeastern Gaziantep province, which shares a border with war-torn Syria, Doğan News Agency reported. 

The Turkish General Staff announced the militants were making plans to cross the border and join the ranks of ISIL.

“Eight individuals, seven of [whom are] foreign nationals, were detained in Gaziantep. They are believed to be members of the Daesh terrorist group and were planning to illegally cross the border into Syria,” the statement said, using an Arabic acronym for ISIL. 

Meanwhile, the anti-terror branch in Central Anatolian Kayseri province detained four suspects, also for trying to join ISIL. 

According to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Kayseri police began to monitor four individuals after they were suspected of being involved with ISIL. 

Technical surveillance revealed that the suspects, identified as E.K, A.K, S.K and F.K, were scheming to enter Syria. 

Anti-terror police raided the suspects’ flat, seizing organizational documents and digital data while detaining all four suspects.