More than 300 Azerbaijanis killed in Middle East, authorities report

Today, the Azerbaijani State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations (SCWRO) has reported that Azerbaijanis killed in Syria and Iraq fought on the side of radical groupings.

"There is information about 300 deceased Azerbaijanis who were members of the radical religious groupings in Syria and Iraq," SCWRO's Deputy Chairman Siyavush Geidarov has told reporters today.

According to him, other 92 people who fought as members of the radical religious groupings have already been brought to justice in Azerbaijan, the "aze.az" reports.

"260 people who were members of the groupings were identified and deprived of citizenship," the SCWRO's Deputy Chairman has added.

Besides, Siyavush Geidarov has noted there is information about more than 300 Azerbaijani children and women who stay in Syria and Iraq and who "were also subjected to the influence of radical groupings."

"One child has already been returned to the country, and he is undergoing a rehabilitation process. There are other 19 children, and they will be brought to the country in the nearest future," the RIA "Novosti" quotes Siyavush Geidarov as stating.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.