Russian Court Convicts Man Who Fought Alongside Islamic State

A court in the Russian region of Tatarstan has sentenced a man to six years in a prison colony for serving as an Islamic State (IS) fighter and sentry in Syria and Iraq.

The Chally City Court on November 19 found Mikhail Golovenko guilty of taking part in an illegal armed group.

Golovenko admitted that he had traveled to Syria in April 2014, and trained with IS in Raaqa. He later traveled in Sinjar, the northern Iraqi city that was seized by Islamic State fighters in August.

After a disagreement with his unit, he returned to Russia in January and was later arrested.

An estimated 2,700 Russian citizens are believed to have traveled to Syria to join Islamic State or some of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated units there

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov said on November 19 that 73 have returned and been convicted, 36 placed under arrest, and 160 killed.

Based on reporting by chelnyltd.ru and Interfax