PARIS
France's parliament is to discuss a draft law Monday that aims to stop people traveling to fight in Syria and Iraq.
The law was submitted by Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve in July, and aims to deter numerous French nationals from traveling to join groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant which has overrun large territories of both countries.
"It takes constant vigilance to fight terrorism," Cazeneuve told France Info radio Monday. "We are taking an interim action through the law to be discussed today by the parliament" to stop such groups from expanding.
The draft law contains a ban on leaving the country for people suspected of wanting to join areas that have "terrorist groups" and a strengthening of the fight against the glorification of terrorism on the Internet.
On Sunday, Cazeneuve told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper that some 930 French nationals had gone to Syria or Iraq to fight with militant groups.
"350 are on the ground, including 60 women, 180 have departed from Syria and 170 are in transit to the area," he added.
The minister also revealed that 36 French nationals had died during the fighting in Syria and Iraq.
To prevent such nationals joining extremist groups, the Interior Ministry launched a telephone hotline in April for families to alert authorities to “signs of Islamic radicalism.”
France on Monday co-hosted an international conference on peace and security in Iraq.
Premier Francois Hollande said in his the opening speech in the French capital that the threat ISIL poses is global and it needs "a comprehensive response.”
www.aa.com.tr/en
