Syrian Kurdish forces hold IS fighters from Sweden

Report comes as US-backed forces battle in northern Syria to retake de facto IS capital city of Raqqa

By AP 1 August 2017, 5:27 pm

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Illustrative: This undated image posted online Monday, May 1, 2017, by supporters of the Islamic State militant group on an anonymous photo sharing website, purports to show an Islamic State fighter firing his weapon during clashes with US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, in the northern Syrian province of Raqqa. (Militant Photo via AP)

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Swedish radio says that US-backed Syrian Kurdish forces are holding foreign fighters with the Islamic State group from Sweden.

Tuesday’s report comes as the US-backed forces are battling in northern Syria to retake the city of Raqqa, IS’ de facto capital of the militants’ self-proclaimed caliphate.

The Ekot news program says jihadi fighters from other countries are also being held by the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, the Kurdish militia that forms the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Ekot didn’t provide details on how many jihadi fighters from Sweden are being held.

Sweden’s security service, known by its initials SAPO, has said that up to 300 people from Sweden have joined radical Muslims in the past six years.