MIA: at least 70 residents of Astrakhan Region fight for IS

The residents of the Astrakhan Region, fighting for the "Islamic State" (IS), are younger than 30, Oleg Agarkov, the head of the Regional Department of Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), has stated today.

"Supporters of the ISIL were identified in the Astrakhan Region. In total, over 70 of them are fighting today in the territory of Syria. We clearly know all of them; they are under control. These are people under 30 years of age," said Oleg Agarkov at a press conference.

He stressed that policemen and FSB agents are working in close cooperation, revealing facts of recruitment into terrorist groupings. Law enforcement bodies monitor the access roads to Astrakhan and the border of the region, the "Interfax" reports.

According to Agarkov, in 2015, through joint efforts, the region identified 15 extremist crimes and initiated six criminal cases on participation in illegal armed formations (IAFs).

In total, in 2015, criminal cases were initiated on nine crimes of terrorist nature, the website of the Chief Department for the Astrakhan Region of the MIA has reported today.

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