Turkish soldiers detain 5 Dutch citizens as ISIL raises flag near border

HATAY / KİLİS - Doğan News Agency

ISIL militants raised the group's flag in the Syrian village of Kara, which is 400 meters away from Yavuzlu village in the southeastern province of Kilis. DHA photo

Five Dutch citizens have been detained while trying to cross from Turkey to Syria illegally, the Turkish army announced in a statement on March 29.

According to the General Staff statement, a total of 97 foreigners, 92 of them Syrian citizens, tried to cross into Syria on March 28.

Turkish troops also discovered five hunting rifles buried near the border in the Görentaş area of Hatay province.

Farther east on the border, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants raised their flag in the Syrian village of Kara, which is 400 meters away from Yavuzlu village in the southeastern province of Kilis.

After the ISIL flag was raised in Syria, Turkish flags were raised in response on the roof of some houses on the Turkish side.

The Turkish army had tightened the border in the past weeks after smugglers intensified their efforts.