Two of the three Maldivians who were stuck in Turkey after travelling to join a war in the Middle East have been repatriated.

At a press conference on Thursday (March 5), Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusaan said the three Maldivians were detained by the Turkish government.

A 14-year-old girl and her mother were brought back to the Maldives. They are currently at the National Integration Centre.

Ihusaan did not say why the third Maldivian national was not repatriated.

But he said that 23 people stranded in war zones have been brought back to the Maldives and reintegrated into society.

Many Maldivians travelled with their families to join terrorist groups in the Middle East, including the Islamic State (IS).