1,500 foreign militants entered Syria this week via the country’s border with Turkey that facilitated their entry, according to statements attributed to the Free Syrian Army militias.

The statements lend more evidence to reports suggesting the involvement of Arab and foreign countries in sending terrorists to Syria.

Sources told the Italian news agency, Aki, that some of the militants settled in Syria while fewer numbers left for Iraq, adding that the Turkish authorities winked at the entry of ”Muslim hard-liners” as there is a political decision in this regard.

17 thousand non-Syrian fighters are believed to be operating in Syria according to some estimates, the sources say, adding that the bulk of Arab fighters there are of Saudi nationalities, whereas the Chechens make up the majority of non-Arab fighters.

There are hundreds of mercenaries and militants from various countries, including the countries of Europe and the United States in addition to Russian citizens are fighting in Syria within illegal armed groups, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister, Special Envoy of the President for the Middle East Mikhail Bogdanov said earlier in the day.