Turkey detains four Azeri would-be Islamic State jihadists

(Baku Daily) - Four Azerbaijani nationals have been detained in Turkey's Kilis Province when they tried to cross the border into Syria to join the Islamic State group (IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL), APA news agency reported .

The four were members of a 22-strong group who had been detained in Turkey's Asagi Beylerbeyi village. The four Azerbaijani nationals will be deported to Azerbaijan, the report added.

The Azerbaijani consul in Istanbul confirmed the detention and the fact that they are members of one family, APA said.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Azerbaijani State Committee for Work with Religious Structures, Mubariz Qurbanli, said that the number of those wishing to travel abroad to join jihadist groups has reduced in the country.

"Our efforts, including that of the law-enforcement agencies and religious committees set up at the local government bodies, have brought about significant changes. Our branches in regions report that radical group members withdraw from this path and their number is gradually reducing. The number of those wishing to go to Syria, Iraq and other places to take part in wars which have nothing to do with religion and represent some geopolitical interests has also dropped. There are individuals who travelled there, have became disappointed and now want to come back," APA quoted Qurbanli as saying.

Over 100 Azerbaijani volunteers have been reportedly killed in Syria since the start of the hostilities there. In September 2014, the Azerbaijani National Security Ministry arrested 26 suspected members of the Islamic State group.