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About 20,000 terror suspects under surveillance along CIS borders

Director of the Russian Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov described militants leaving Syria and Iraq as "a serious threat factor"

MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. Nearly 20,000 individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism have been put under surveillance along the CIS borders, Director of the Russian Federal Security Service, the FSB, Alexander Bortnikov, said.

"About 20,000 citizens of the CIS member countries suspected of involvement in terrorist, religious and extremist groups have been put under border surveillance on the basis of the information obtained by security agencies and provided by our partners," he said at the 43rd meeting of the Council of the Heads of Security Agencies and Special Services of the CIS member-countries.

Bortnikov described militants leaving Syria and Iraq as "a serious threat factor." "Terrorists provided with fake IDs try to penetrate the CIS countries under the guise of refugees and immigrants," he said.

"We have recently noted a dramatic increase in the number of militants identified among labor migrants, tourist and other flows," Bortnikov added.

The FSB chief urged his counterparts "to intensify work with partner intelligence services to search for militants and exchange information promptly."