Europe concerned over returning jihadist fighters

15 November 2016, 3:46 pm

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EU countries must step up intelligence cooperation to tackle growing numbers of jihadist fighters returning home from battlefields in Syria and Iraq, Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders says.

Reynders tells a press briefing in Brussels there is “concern” that “foreign fighters” were increasingly returning to Europe as US-backed coalition forces drive Islamic State fighters from territory in Syria and Iraq.

“Today, thanks to the progress that we are making with the military coalition in Iraq and in Syria, we see that cities and entire provinces are being recovered,” Reynders says, flanked by French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault.

“But there is concern about the larger return of these foreign fighters to our countries,” Reynders says.

— AFP