Turkey deports 11 French suspected ISIL members

Monday's deportations raised the number of foreign fighters expelled from Turkey to 71 since November 11.

Turkey has deported 11 French nationals who are suspected of being members of the ISIL (ISIS) armed group.

The country's interior ministry announced the deportations in a brief statement on Monday without providing details or identifying the suspects.

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Last month, Turkey stepped up the return of suspected foreign ISIL members - either held in Turkish prisons or in Syria - back to their countries of origin, saying Turkey was "not a hotel" for foreign fighters.

Monday's deportations raised the number of foreign fighters expelled from Turkey to 71 since November 11, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported, including citizens of the United States, Denmark, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.

At least 18 suspects were returned to Germany, it reported.

The Turkish interior ministry said on Sunday an Australian national accused of being an ISIL fighter was also deported.

Ankara says it has about 1,200 foreign ISIL members in custody. Last month, Turkish Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu said the country planned to repatriate most to their home countries by the end of the year.