A Greek report posted to The World News platform, based on Syrian News Agency (SANA) and Al Mayadeen satellite media network information, noted on March 9, 2022, that approximately 450 Salafist jihadists had left Idlib, Syria, and entered Ukraine for the purpose of fighting against Russian forces as well as pro-Russian non-combatants there. The jihadists had traversed Turkey to reach their destination.

According to the report, the jihadists belonged to Al Qaida (Jabhat al-Nusra)-affiliated terrorist organizations Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Parti Islamique du Turkistan (Turkistan Islamic Party), Ansar Al-Tawhid, and Hurras al-Din. Of the 450 jihadist terrorists, 300 were Syrians, while 150 were Belgians, French, Uyghurs, Moroccans, Tunisians, Chechens, and British. [Translator note: one of the sources identified the Uyghurs as ‘Chinese’ rather than as ‘Uyghurs.’]

The report further stated that, according to its sources, the foreign fighters were veterans of the Syrian war, who had caused problems in Idlib and were given the opportunity to fight against Russia as a compromise whereby they would be able to start over while receiving an acceptable income. The Syrian fighters, i.e., those hailing from the Idlib and Aleppo Province, would receive approximately $1200-$1500; the earnings of the foreign fighters, however, were not known.

Referring to the presence of foreign fighters in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had stated in the past that 16 thousand foreign mercenaries would fight for the country. In line with this, Russian President Vladimir Putin had informed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during their March 4, 2022 telephone conversation of the increasing number of foreign mercenaries who were active in Ukraine, including from Albania and Croatia, and specifically, fighters and jihadists from Kosovo who were putting their experience from military operations in Syria to use.

A link to the article and its translation can be found here.