NUR-SULTAN -- Fifteen of the 595 Kazakhs repatriated from Syria this year have received various prison sentences for joining the "Islamic State" (IS), the Kazakh National Security Committee (KNB) said in a statement Thursday (October 17).
The 15 include 10 men and 5 women. Operation Jusan (Bitter Wormwood), conducted by Kazakh authorities, brought back the 595 Kazakh citizens, including more than 400 children, on multiple flights.
Authorities have completed their investigation of another 14 returnees, all of whom allegedly belonged to the same IS unit, said the KNB. They await trial.