57 Kazakh returnees from Syria convicted of extremism

ASTANA. KAZINFORM According to deputy chairman of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan Nurgali Bilisbekov, some Kazakh citizens returning from Syria continue to adhere to radical views, Kazinform correspondent reports.

"As you know, international terrorist organizations have been defeated in Syria and Iraq. As a result, there is an outflow of militants and their family members to other regions, including their countries of origin. For example, to date, 125 people returned to Kazakhstan and 57 of them have been convicted. The rest are on the watchlist. Returning individuals, in general, continue to adhere to radical views," he said, speaking today at a Government session today.

According to him, specialists are carrying out preventive and rehabilitation work with those returnees.

"The level of extremist and terrorist propaganda remains high, which could lead to the radicalization of people in Kazakhstan. These and other factors dictate the need for further improvement of the national system of countering terrorism and religious extremism," Bilisbekov added.

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