30 Irish citizens left to fight in Syria and Iraq

An estimated 30 Irish citizens had travelled to fight in Syria and Iraq by the end of last month — up 15% on last year.

The figures — compiled by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation — show the number is up on December 2013, when 26 citizens left.

The ICSR — an independent London-based organisation — said that across 14 affected EU countries the number of foreign fighters had doubled, from 1,929 in December 2013 to 3,950 in December 2014.