Captured Irish jihadist tells of dying days of ‘caliphate’

HASAKEH, Syria: From detention in northern Syria, alleged Irish jihadist Alexandr Bekmirzaev describes hunger and fear as missiles pounded down on the last shreds of the Islamic State group’s "caliphate"."I thought we were going to die from the starvation," the Muslim convert, 46 this year, told AFP in English, captured after fleeing the extremist group’s crumbling last pocket in eastern Syria. Bekmirzaev said he fled into territory held by Kurdish-led forces, who detained him along with four other alleged foreign jihadists late last month.Backed by air strikes of the US-led coalition, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have since September been whittling down the last IS holdout near the Iraqi border. Brought in for an interview by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) who are still interrogating him, the detainee described watching the IS stronghold collapse around him.The hundreds of suspected jihadists captured by the SDF are usually keen to be sent home. The Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria also wants to send the prisoners back for trial, but governments in their countries of origin are often reluctant.France said on Tuesday for the first time that French jihadists held by Kurdish forces in Syria could be allowed to return home. "We are examining all options to avoid the escape and scattering of these potentially dangerous individuals," the French foreign ministry said.

from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2DLRT5l