ISTANBUL: Turkish security forces detained four foreign journalists - three from Italy, one from France - as they tried to cross into Turkeyfrom war-torn Syria, the official Anatolia news agency said Saturday.
They were arrested at the Mursitpinar border post close to the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani on Thursday, Anatolia said, adding that they now faced deportation.
Paris-based freedom of expression watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) confirmed the arrests.
Two of the Italians were correspondents for Italian state television station RAI while the French journalist was working for Le Figarodaily, Anatolia said.
Philippe Gelie, a senior editor for Le Figaro, told AFP that Samuel Forey had illegally crossed the Turkish border into war-torn Syria to cover the battle for control for the border town of Tal Abyad, that pitted ISIS against Kurdish forces.