British family detained in Turkey on suspect of joining IS group in Syria

Turkish police detained on Monday a British family of six who are accused of trying to join the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria via Turkey, the state-run Anatolian news agency reported on Tuesday.

Asif Malik, his wife Sara Malik, and their four children entered Turkey from Greece on Thursday through Karahudut border crossing in northwestern Kirklareli province, according to the report.

The Turkish police acted on the information given by the British authorities, which told Ankara that the family had entered Turkey, and could be aiming to join the IS in Syria, said the report.

The family was detained in a hotel in Ankara on Monday and will soon be deported, added the report.

The family was from Slough city of southeastern Berkshire region in Britain. They were last seen in their hometown on April 7. Days later, the family's relatives reported to the police about their missing.

Turkey has deported some 1300 foreigners and put travel ban for 12,800 on suspect of trying to cross into Syria to join the IS.

It is not the first time that the British nationals were arrested by the Turkish authorities for their possible intentions to become IS fighters. In early April, nine British nationals were detained on the Turkish-Syrian border for trying to enter into Syria.

In a separate incident in April, a British woman, who also was detained in Ankara for the same reason. She was deported back home.

Turkey has beefed up security measures to prevent foreign fighters from crossing into neighboring Syria through Turkish territory amid Western countries' criticism that Ankara did not make its best to stem foreign fighters from joining ranks of the IS in Syria.

Ankara often calls on European countries to share more information on suspected foreign fighters and asks for stopping them before they travel to Turkey. Endit