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Turkey Starts Repatriating Captured ISIS Fighters

A Turkish government spokesperson said at least three suspected ISIS fighters have been deported, with more expected to follow this week.

Turkey Starts Repatriating Captured ISIS Fighters
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Turkey has started to repatriate captured suspected ISIS fighters, which includes a U.S. national.

According to the state-run Anadolu news agency, a government spokesperson said Turkey would deport at least three suspected ISIS fighters on Monday. The spokesperson did not identify the foreign-born militants, but said one of the militants was German, while another was Danish.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said his country is holding approximately 1,200 suspected ISIS militants, with several hundred of them from Europe. 

Turkey has repeatedly threatened to send the fighters back to their home country. That includes nationals from Denmark, France, Ireland and Germany. However, European countries say they will not take them back since they revoked their citizenship. 

Turkey launched an offensive in Northern Syria after President Trump ordered U.S. troops to leave. It drove out the Kurdish-led militia that was holding ISIS fighters and their families, renewing concerns over the fate of the prisoners.