Four Belgians caught on Turkey-Syria border

BRUSSELS – Anatolia News Agency

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Internal Affairs and Equal Opportunities Joelle Milquet had last month visited Ankara to hold talks with Turkish officials about young Belgians involved in the Syrian conflict. AA photo

Four Belgian citizens who had wanted to fight in the Syrian war were arrested by Turkish police on the border, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Internal Affairs and Equal Opportunities Joelle Milquet said.

Milquet said the four Belgians had been sent back to Belgium on June 17, adding that this incident showed the excellent cooperation between Turkish and Belgian police to prevent Belgians from crossing the border to take part in the Syrian war.

Joelle Milquet had last month visited Ankara to hold talks with Turkish officials about young Belgians involved in the Syrian conflict. She voiced Belgium’s concerns and said they had conveyed to Ankara Belgium’s unease about Belgians crossing the Turkish border to take part in the war and asked Turkey to tighten border security.

Nearly 100 Belgian citizens, mostly of African origin, are said to have participated in clashes under the direction of extremists.