Turkey detains French woman allegedly linked to ISIL

ADANA-Anadolu Agency

Turkish anti-terror police teams on Nov. 26 detained a French woman who was allegedly trying to join ISIL terror group in southern Adana province, according to security sources.

Anissa L., 21, who reportedly flew from France to Istanbul and then arrived in Adana province by bus, was rounded up in an operation into a hotel.

The suspect allegedly aimed at illegally crossing the Turkish border from southern Hatay province to Syria for joining the terror group, the sources added.

In her testimony at the police department, the suspect said she had come to the province for touristic purposes.

The French citizen was later repatriated to her country.

Turkey has so far deported 7,500 ISIL members, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said early October, adding that there are 1,149 ISIL terrorists in Turkish prisons.

Since Turkey recognized ISIL as a terrorist group in 2013, the Turkish state has been attacked by the group numerous times, including 10 suicide bombings, seven bombings, and four armed attacks which killed 315 people, including police officers and soldiers, and injured hundreds.

In response to the attacks, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad, neutralizing 3,500 ISIL terrorists and arresting 5,500.