Hundreds of ISIL fighters are fleeing Syria for Turkey, as Russia's Defense Ministry previously said, and reports are popping up that they are leaving their beards behind.
.2/ More Jihadi beards, shaved off in Reef #Aleppo, as they flee clean shaven 2 #Turkey, these Via @leithfadel pic.twitter.com/xOmMkhH8oY
— Hala Jaber (@HalaJaber) October 12, 2015
According to Russia's Defense Ministry, as many as 100 fighters are leaving Syria for Turkey every day. Al-Nusra Front fighters are said to have made their way into Turkey via the Reyhanli crossing while ISIL fighters flee north through Jarabulus.
#SYRIA #Kartapolov: Radio reconnaissance confirmed about 100 militants disguised as refugees to cross the Syrian border every night
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) October 16, 2015
The removal of facial hair is forbidden by ISIL and al-Nusra Front's interpretation of Islam, and the extremist fighters have become associated with beards. On Monday, a group of Swedish men from a beard club were almost arrested when they showed up for a group photoshoot with a black flag after someone called the police suspecting the bearded men were none other than ISIL fighters plotting a terrorist attack.
