Moscow – Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Oleg Syromolotov, said on Thursday that 160 Russian citizens fighting for the terrorist group, Islamic State, in Syria, had been killed amid stepped-up international military action in the war-torn country.
“At present time, there are more than 25,000 foreign terrorist militants fighting under the banner of Islamic State, including from Arab countries, Europe, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, Syromolotov said.
He also said that 2,719 Russian citizens had gone to fight for the Islamist militia in Syria.
“160 of them have been killed, 73 of them have returned and faced justice, and another 36 have been arrested, Syromolotov added.
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Russia, an ally of Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, launched airstrikes in Syria in September, saying it targeted terrorists there. (dpa/NAN)