Around 80 Kyrgyz Nationals Join Militants In Syria

The number of Kyrgyz citizens, who have joined militants in Syria, reached 80 people, Kyrgyz Interior Ministry's official Ryskulbek Japarkulov told reporters on July 3 in Bishkek. He noted the steady growth of Salafism (a militant group of extremist Sunnis who believe themselves the only correct interpreters of the Koran and consider moderate Muslims to be infidels) and its radical elements in particular in Kyrgyzstan in recent years. “The number of citizens of Kyrgyzstan, who have joined militants on the territory of Syria, continues to grow and reached around 80 people already. This includes around 10 women,” Japarkulov stated.