The ministry, however, has not confirmed if the citizens are the ones who were recently reported missing after separating themselves from a tour group in Turkey.
"Turkish security authorities nabbed 16 of our citizens while they were attempting to cross over into Syria, according to a Turkish ministry spokesman," Indonesias Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir noted.
Turkish security authorities caught the 16 Indonesians in Gaziantep on the border between Turkey and Syria, he added.
He pointed out that the Foreign Affairs Ministry has asked the Indonesian embassy in Ankara to seek more information from Turkeys foreign ministry and security authorities.
"The Indonesian ambassador in Ankara is coordinating with the Turkish foreign ministry and security authorities to confirm whether the 16 people are the ones reported missing and if they are not, then what are their identities," he stated.
Arrmanatha remarked that the Indonesian embassy in Ankara will find out whether the citizens had been involved in legal problems in Turkey and will also check their travel documents and data.
"We will find out why they were trying to cross into Syria and whether they are affiliated with any radical group. This is what we wish to confirm," he added.
"So, right now, the Indonesian government has not yet determined what further steps to take," he said.
Sixteen Indonesian citizens were recently reported missing after they separated themselves from a group that was on a Turkey visit organized by Smailing Tour.
It is suspected that the citizens were seeking to enter Syria through Turkey to join the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group.
To prevent its citizens from joining ISIS, the Indonesian government through its foreign ministry has asked several governments in the Middle East to be more selective while granting visas to Indonesian citizens.
"We have appealed to them to be more careful while giving visas to Indonesian citizens wishing to enter the Middle Eastern region," he emphasized.
Reporting by Yuni Arisandy
(H-YH/INE/a014)
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
