THE police are in contact with 23 Malaysians in Syria who want to return home and will investigate them upon their return, said Special Branch counter-terrorism division’s principal assistant director Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay today.

He said of the 23, 12 are children and 11 are adults. They are part of the 51 Malaysians who are in Syria.

“They called their families and their families then contacted police. Right now, we are trying to bring them back home,” he told a press conference at an event on national unity in Kuala Lumpur today.

Ayub said the status of the others still in Syria cannot be verified as of yet. 

He said the men who return from Syria after joining the Islamic State will be arrested and investigated while women and children will be investigated on a case-by-case basis. 

“Some of the women were forced to follow their husbands to Syria.

“Although there are parties that doubted us for allowing them to return home, we have to remember that we follow what Malaysia practices (kita ikut acuan Malaysia),” he said, adding that some of them have been in Syria since 2013. 

Ayub said bringing them home may take a long time as it is not easy to get their exact locations. 

“It’s not as easy as it seems. Movement is restricted and safety has yet to be improved in Syria,” he added. 

It was reported on Tuesday that the police are working with Syrian authorities to bring home 13 Malaysians in Syria. 

Ayob had said more Malaysians want to come home as the offensive by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces enters its final stage.

Returnees will be subjected to background checks and interrogation, and will be required to complete a one-month government-run rehabilitation programme.

At least 102 Malaysians are known to have left the country to live in the terrorist group’s so-called “Islamic caliphate”.

Some 40 were killed in fighting in Syria and Iraq, with nine of them being suicide bombers. – March 16, 2019.