Alwaght- Russia’s deputy defense minister has revealed that almost 30,000 foreign terrorists are fighting for the ISIS terrorist group while expressing concern over extremists returning to their country.
Speaking on Wednesday, Russian deputy defense minister Anatoly Antonov said “Today some 25-30 thousand foreign terrorist mercenaries are fighting for ISIS, including those from the Pacific Rim countries and, unfortunately, Russia too. Should they return home, carrying the potential for violence and extremism, they will be preaching radical ideas in our countries or will organize subversive activities.”
He pointed out that Russia’s warplanes in Syria are only striking only confirmed terrorist targets, such as ISIS terrorists and are not after the so-called ‘moderate’ Syrian rebels.
“The aviation and other [combat] means are deployed exclusively against the terrorist formations on the territory of Syria. There are no strikes being conducted at any other targets, connected to, for example, the forces of the so-called ‘moderate’ opposition,” noted Antonov.
He noted that Moscow has been making efforts to step up “practical cooperation” with regional and international actors in connection with the Syrian operation.
Russian defense officials say since the beginning of the operation that was initiated at President Bashar Assad’s request, Russian warplanes have carried out more than 1,600 sorties, killing several hundred terrorists and destroying more than 2,000 objects of infrastructure held by the terrorists. Having suffered substantial losses, ISIS terrorists have been retreating from the warzones.
The Russian deputy defense minister also warned that ISIS terrorist group is expanding its activities from Iraq and Syria.
“Russia is particularly concerned with the growing influence of ISIS in northern Afghanistan, near the borders of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, as well as in Pakistan. Islamic State militants have already settled in 25 Afghan provinces out of 34,” Antonov said.