Russia: Syria rushed by international terrorists

Russia said that the ongoing crisis in Syria is turning the Arab country into a center of attraction for "international terrorists." Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Thursday, "Syria's transformation into the center of gravity for international terrorists is becoming a reality". It is a "frightening reality," he added, Almanar reported. Lukashevich reiterated that Moscow was supporting a national dialogue to end the deadly violence in Syria. "Russia will continue its efforts to speed up the resolution of the conflict in Syria," the Russian diplomat said. A recent study by the London-based International Center for the Study of Radicalization (ICRS) found that up to 5,500 foreign fighters had traveled to Syria since the crisis erupted more than two years ago. The study also revealed that up to 11 percent of the militants came from Europe, mostly holding UK passports. Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border guards being reported across the country. Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed, when some protest rallies turned into armed clashes. The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.