Two Turkish citizens detained by Russian border guards after illegally crossing into Armenia on June 12 have been expelled back to Turkey, a Russian border guard commander said on Monday. Colonel Vyacheslav Biryukov, who heads the Artashat border guard detachment in southern Armenia, told the Snark news agency that they were released after a request from the Turkish authorities.
Biryukov said the men, identified as Yasar Tesvi Kabir and Isok Skarada Perim, had passed themeselves off as shepherds, saying that they were looking for lost cattle. But a careful search in the whole border section did not confirm their statement, and the border guards thought it suspicious that the Turks had a mobile phone with them, he said.
The authorities say a total of nine Turkish citizens have attempted to enter Armenia illegally this year.
Biryukov said the men, identified as Yasar Tesvi Kabir and Isok Skarada Perim, had passed themeselves off as shepherds, saying that they were looking for lost cattle. But a careful search in the whole border section did not confirm their statement, and the border guards thought it suspicious that the Turks had a mobile phone with them, he said.
The authorities say a total of nine Turkish citizens have attempted to enter Armenia illegally this year.