Russian Civic Chamber Launches Hotline on ISIL Related Issues

A hotline on issues related to the fight against ISIL will be launched by the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A hotline on issues related to the fight against ISIL radicals will be launched by the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation on Saturday, the chamber’s press service told RIA Novosti.

Any Russian citizen fearing that their family members and relatives could be under the threat of being recruited by the ISIL militant group will be able to call or write about their concerns starting from 9 a.m. Moscow time (06:00 GMT) on August 1.

"All requests will be thoroughly reviewed in coordination with professional psychologists, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee, [and] law enforcement agencies," the press service of the Russian Civic Chamber informed RIA Novosti.

ISIL is a radical Sunni group that has seized large areas in Iraq and Syria with the aim of establishing an Islamic caliphate in the region. The group is known for its cruel tactics, such as mass executions and public beheadings.

Affiliated ISIL groups operate in North Africa, Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

ISIL has been using social media to spread its radical ideology and to recruit new members.

In June, Russian student Varvara Karaulova was detained on the Turkish-Syrian border during a suspected attempt to join ISIL. Last week, the Russian Investigative Committee announced that it had decided not to institute criminal proceedings against Karaulova.