Director of the French coordination of counter-terrorism unit (UCLAT), Loic Garnier, said that three thousand Europeans, including about 700 French, joined the ranks of the so-called ‘Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’ (ISIL) terrorist organization operating in Iraq and Syria.

“According to reports, the number of French in that region is about 700 people, and the number of people killed is around 232,” Garnier told the French newspaper “Le Figaro” on Tuesday.

He stated that the number of foreigners who joined ISIL in 2015 reached 30 thousand, but that number dropped at the moment to 12 thousand, including 3000 Europeans.

“About 200 people who had fought alongside the organization in Syria and Iraq are residing in France today,” Farnier pointed out.

Moreover, the European Commissioner for Security, Julian King, warned earlier of the risk of the return of ISIL militants from Mosul to EU countries.

France and Belgium were the first European countries who expressed concern about the return of terrorists from Iraq and Syria, before Britain shared the concern.

Nevertheless, the European Foundation said that 50% of ISIL European terrorists are still operating in the battlefields, while 30% of them returned to Europe.

Source: Al-Manar Website