Report: Syrian Kurdish forces hold IS fighters from Sweden

COPENHAGEN – Swedish radio says that U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces are holding foreign fighters with the Islamic State group from Sweden.

Tuesday’s report comes as the U.S-backed forces are battling in northern Syria to retake the city of Raqqa, IS’ de facto capital of the militants’ self-proclaimed caliphate.

The Ekot news program says jihadi fighters from other countries are also being held by the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, the Kurdish militia that forms the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Ekot didn’t provide details on how many jihadi fighters from Sweden are being held.

Sweden’s security service, known by its initials SAPO, has said that up to 300 people from Sweden have joined radical Muslims in the past six years.

There was no immediate comment from the Swedish Foreign Ministry.