Türkiye has deported 9,000 foreign terrorist fighters since 2011

Türkiye sent back at least 9,000 foreign terrorist fighters since 2011, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.

As part of Türkiye's domestic and cross-border security operations, a total of 9,000 foreign terrorist fighters from 102 countries, including 1,168 from the US and EU member states, were deported, announced the ministry in a statement.

Noting that Ankara continues to send back foreign terrorist fighters who come to the country to join PKK/PYD and Daesh/ISIS terrorist groups, the ministry said since the start of a civil war in Syria in 2011, at least 59 Americans and 1,109 Europeans have been exiled from Türkiye.

Giving a breakdown, the ministry said at least 126 foreign terrorist fighters from 12 EU countries were deported in 2019, while 95 from eight EU countries were sent back in 2020.

The ministry said at least 69 foreign terrorist fighters from eight EU countries were deported from Türkiye in 2021, while 20 other terrorists from six EU countries were deported in the first seven months of this year.

France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Romania, Sweden, and Austria were the leading EU countries in terms of deported foreign terrorists.

The PKK is listed as a terror organization by Türkiye, the European Union and the US and is responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

The issue of the handling of Daesh/ISIS terrorists and their families detained in Syria – including foreign members of the terror group – has been controversial, with Türkiye arguing foreign-born terrorists should be returned to their countries of origin.

Ankara has said several European countries resisted its efforts to send Daesh/ISIS terror group members to their countries, but it will press forward.