Irish citizen ‘fighting for Isis’ held in Syria
KURDISH forces have said that they have captured an Irish citizen fighting for Islamic State in Syria.
The US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces said that it had arrested five Isis jihadis – including an Irish citizen, two Americans and two Pakistanis.
The 45-year-old Irish man is originally from Dublin, the SDF told Agence France Press.
The SDF said it captured the five during Jazeera Storm, which aims to liberate ‘the last regions under the occupation of Isis’.
The name on the Irish passport was Alexandr Ruzmatovich Bekmirzaev, said the SDF. He is originally from Russia and was under intense Special Branch surveillance in Ireland before leaving for the Middle East in 2013. The SDF also released a photo of the man, in which he had a long, greying beard and short grey/black hair.
In Mali last night the Taoiseach confirmed that a man on the Irish jihadi watch list was being held in Syria by forces fighting Isis.
Leo Varadkar said that he had only learned the bare details and would make no judgments. ‘We don’t know the particulars, so I can’t comment on it in any detail,’ he said. ‘But what I can say is that any Irish citizen around the world is entitled to consular assistance and will get that.’
According to Kurdistan 24 TV news, the men were captured in Deir al-Zor, the largest city in eastern Syria.