Turkey detains UK teens trying to enter Syria

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Headlines Sunday, March 15th, 2015

Turkish authorities have detained three male teenagers who left Britain planning to travel to Syria reportedly to join the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, according to British police and Turkish officials.

The trio is believed to be the latest in a growing number of UK citizens trying to travel to ISIL-held territory inside Syria.

A Turkish official confirmed that the three were detained by security forces in Istanbul on Friday and were deported back to Britain on Saturday, according to the AFP news agency.

Last month, three British schoolgirls left the UK and police believe they have joined ISIL members inside Syria.

British police said on Sunday that two of the male teens detained in Turkey were 17 years old, and the third was 19.

Counterterrorism officers learned on Friday the teens had gone missing from their homes in Britain and they were thought to be travelling to Syria, police said.

“Officers alerted the Turkish authorities who were able to intercept all three males, preventing travel to Syria. They remain in detention in Turkey. The families have been kept informed of developments,” the police statement said.

-Aljazeerawp_posts