French interior minister Christophe Castaner said the returnees would be arrested immediately on return. AFP.
French interior minister Christophe Castaner said the returnees would be arrested immediately on return. AFP.
French interior minister Christophe Castaner said the returnees would be arrested immediately on return. AFP.
French interior minister Christophe Castaner said the returnees would be arrested immediately on return. AFP.

France to repatriate 130 alleged ISIS members held in Syria


  • English
  • Arabic

About 130 French men and women detained on suspicion of supporting ISIS in Syria are to be repatriated to face trial.

There are fears that a US troop withdrawal from Syria could allow extremists in the custody of western-backed rebels to escape and return to the battlefield.

If a deal can be negotiated for their return, it would be the first time a European country has agreed to take back citizens accused of being part of the terrorist group.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told BFM TV that he would seek the handover.

“All those who will return to France will be judged in court,” Mr Castaner said. “If the judge thinks that it will be necessary to incarcerate them, and that will be the usual case, they will be put in jail.”

He did not give more details but there are an estimated 130 French people held in jails by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

Their return would be by plane, with many of them already on the radar of French intelligence.

“The Americans are disengaging from Syria and a certain number of people could be released,” Mr Castaner said.

The SDF holds ISIS members of 48 nationalities but claimed it lacks the ability to put them on trial, in contrast to Iraq. The SDF warned that it would be unable to hold the foreign fighters if the US pulled out.

Turkey regards the Kurdish part of the SDF, known as the YPG, as the Syrian wing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which is fighting a decades-long insurgency on Turkish soil.

Most countries have refused to retake their citizens accused of joining militant groups.

Some, such as the UK, have cancelled their passports, further complicating matters.

France holds about 500 people convicted or waiting to stand trial on terrorism charges. About 2,000 are thought to have joined ISIS since the start of Syria’s civil war in 2011.

The country has been the target of terrorist attacks by ISIS in recent years.

The deadliest was on November 2015 when gunmen and suicide bombers killed more than 130 people and injured 413. Some of those responsible fought for ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

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Read more:

US coalition strikes kill 42, including civilians, in last ISIS Syria holdout

Inside an ISIS religion camp: How I survived the grip of terror

Syria: The festering threat of informal ISIS prisons

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Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
  • 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
  • 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
  • 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
'Top Gun: Maverick'

Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Studying addiction

This month, Dubai Medical College launched the Middle East’s first master's programme in addiction science.

Together with the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, the college offers a two-year master’s course as well as a one-year diploma in the same subject.

The move was announced earlier this year and is part of a new drive to combat drug abuse and increase the region’s capacity for treating drug addiction.

The specs

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Transmission: Single-speed automatic

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Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

NO OTHER LAND

Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal

Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham

Rating: 3.5/5

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
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match info

Manchester United 3 (Martial 7', 44', 74')

Sheffield United 0

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