About 100 Germans have died in Iraq and Syria

About 100 Germans have died fighting with Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria since 2012, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told the "Bild am Sonntag" newspaper in comments published on Sunday.

The 100 killed were out of a group of about 700 who have travelled to the region to fight alongside the militants, who control large areas in Iraq and Syria. About a third of those who travelled to the region to fight have since returned, de Maiziere told the newspaper. The minister said that Germany has blocked travel to the region in an effort to control the problem. There are currently almost 600 investigations into 800 individuals on allegations of illegally travelling to the region to fight, he told the paper.

He also pointed to recent changes in German law that give authorities the right to confiscate identity papers from anyone seeking to travel to a Middle Eastern war zone. Such an action keeps a person from leaving Germany for three years. It is also easier to press charges against anyone who attempts to travel to the region to participate in terrorism activities.

Other changes to German law have made it easier for authorities to crack down on financing of terrorism.    (dpa)

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