Nearly 400 Tunisians returned back from Syria

The number of Tunisians who came back Syria rises to nearly 400, said Monday evening Tunisian Minister of Interior, Lotfi Ben Jeddou, stating they were “monitored” by the authorities because of their Syrian experience.

“We prevented nearly 8,000 people from travelling to Syria,” said Ben Jeddou to the press following a meeting on security and counter-terrorism which was attended by the Minister of Defence and the President of the Constituent Assembly.

“Those who have returned, we do not have exact figures but their number is estimated at about 400,” he added. “Unfortunately no one was stopped because there is a lack of text (law). But we closely follow them. We have established a database as they gained experience and training and should be closely monitored,” he said.

Many Tunisians have joined the ranks of jihadists against the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

Last year, the Tunisian prosecutor opened an investigation into the networks facilitating the departure of Tunisians to Syria, and the Ministry of the Interior had admitted tightened controls at airports to prevent the departure of women and men suspected of wanting to join Syria.