GAZIANTEP, Turkey
Four Syria-bound foreign citizens were arrested Wednesday in Gaziantep province, southeast Turkey, officials said.
The Gaziantep Governor’s office said in a statement that a Russian citizen, identified as S.D., was arrested for trying to illegally cross the border into Syria and join the ongoing civil war in the country.
Three Saudi Arabian citizens, identified as A.H.A.A, F.S.S.Z. and H.A.H.A, were also arrested in the Karkamis District of the province for trying to illegally cross the border into Syria.
The Russian citizen was deported from Turkey, while the three Saudi Arabian citizens are awaiting to be deported once the administrative process is completed.
Turkey shares a 800 km long border with Syria, which is an attractive point for foreign fighters who want to join the war in Syria.
Turkish officials are cooperating with other countries' authorities to stop the flow of foreign fighters to Syria and Iraq.
Thousands of foreign fighters from all over the world are believed to have joined terrorist organizations, including Daesh, fighting in Syria and Iraq.
