Three Maldivians en route to Syria, have been arrested.

According to the Maldives Police Service (MPS) the three were arrested while attempting to enter Syria through Turkey, "in a joint special operation held by MPS and Turkish authorities".

Police said that they have since been brought back to the Maldives.

While a number of Maldivians have been traveling to Syria to join the Islamic State, this is not the first a Maldivian has been arrested in the process.

Charges have been raised against three other individuals, with the same allegation.

Furthermore, two Maldivians were arrested in Malaysia in August, over allegations of using Malaysia and Singapore "as a transit point before heading to Syria to join IS". While the two were extradited to the Maldives earlier this month, there have been reports that they "are no longer in police custody".

MPS refused to comment on the matter.

According to international experts and agencies, Maldives "has the world's highest per capita of fighters in the region". However, the government denies this, maintaining that the number "is well below 50".