GAZIANTEP, Turkey
Four Russian nationals were detained Thursday after trying to illegally cross into Syria from southern Turkey, a statement released by Gaziantep's governorship said.
Officials added that the detainees have been sent to the foreigners’ office, a branch of the Turkish police, for deportation.
On Wednesday, nine British citizens and a French citizen were detained in Turkey’s southern provinces of Hatay and Gaziantep for trying to illegally cross into Syria.
Meanwhile, Gaziantep governorship also said that a Belgian national, who was detained in early March for trying to illegally cross into Turkey from Syria, was deported on Tuesday.
Turkey shares an 800-kilometer long border with Syria and Turkish officials have repeatedly said that they are cooperating with other countries to stop the flow of foreign fighters into its volatile neighboring countries.
Thousands of foreign fighters from all over the world are believed to have joined terrorist organizations, including Daesh, in Syria and Iraq.
