DAMASCUS - Damascus has handed over 21 Algerian alleged militants detained in Syria over to Tunis, the official SANA agency reported on Tuesday. | Doing a little house cleaning, are we? |
âThe 21 arrested were detained in connection with the latest incidents in Syria, in particular those of June 22 during which a Tunisian extremist, who was planning to set up an extremist training camp in Lebanon, was killed on the Syrian-Lebanese border,â SANA said. They were handed over âas part of cooperation with Tunisian authorities in the fight against terrorism,â it said.
Damascus has previously said there were several clashes between security forces and âterroristâ groups in June and July, including a shootout with a number of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Husseinâs ex-bodyguards. Damascus said on Monday that it had handed over another 12 alleged militants to Riyadh.
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Thursday said that his country has detained 1,240 foreign extremists trying to enter Iraq. Muallem did not say when the arrests happened or include a breakdown of those arrested by nationality, but did say that most of the foreigners were handed over to their embassies.
Both Baghdad and Washington have repeatedly accused Damascus of turning a blind eye to insurgents crossing into Iraq or even of actively supporting the raging insurgency, charges strenuously denied by Syria. |