Hundreds of militants from US and Europe fighting in Syria: Russia deputy FM

“Syrian and Russian special services are exchanging information in connection with reports that about 600 foreign militants, including from Russia, the USA and Europe, are fighting in the territory of Syria,” Bogdanov said on Thursday.
 
On June 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin said some 600 Russians and Europeans are fighting as militants in Syria to bring down the government of President al-Assad.
 
In May, the Syrian president said militants from 29 different countries are fighting against the government in different parts of the country.
 
Foreign-sponsored militancy in Syria has taken its toll on the lives of many people, including large numbers of Syrian soldiers and security personnel, since March 2011.
 
Western powers and their regional allies including the Israeli regime, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are partners in supporting anti-Syria militant groups, including al-Qaeda-linked terrorists, to destabilize Syria and overthrow the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
 
In an interview with Syrian daily Al-Thawra published on July 4, President Assad said the opposition and their foreign supporters have “exhausted all their tools” in a conspiracy against Syria.
 
Meanwhile, police in Spain said last month that they had arrested eight people in the country’s Ceuta enclave for allegedly trying to recruit extremists and fund and facilitate their travel to Syria to fight alongside the militants.
 
Spain accused the arrested people of being linked to the al-Qaeda.