Kosovo's justice minister says a number of Kosovars have been returned from Syria, where they were part of Islamic terror groups.

Abelard Tahiri told journalists early Saturday that "a planned operation to bring back some of our citizens from Syria ended successfully," without giving more details on their number or how they were brought to the country.

The local media said the group, including women and children, was taken to a former military base near the capital Pristina.

A police spokesman declined to comment.

Tahiri has announced a news conference later.

More than 400 Kosovars initially joined extremist groups in Syria and Iraq but none in the past three years, according to Kosovo authorities. About 150 Kosovo citizens are still actively supporting the groups there.