Two Chinese members of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and their children have been detained after trying to enter Turkey illegally near the Syrian-Turkish border on April 7.

According to a statement released by the Turkish General Staff Thursday, the suspects were caught within Turkey's territorial boundaries during border patrol activities in a village in the south-eastern province of Kilis.

An investigation into the incident has been launched, the statement added.

Thousands of foreign fighters from all over the world are believed to have joined terrorist organizations, including ISIS, in Syria and Iraq.

Turkey shares an 800 kilometer-long border with Syria.