Hundreds of Belgian Mercenaries Joined Syria Rebels, Around 12 Dead

Local Editor

The Flemish weekly Knack revealed that up to 12 Belgian youngsters were killed in Syria. The weekly bases its figure on information from members of Belgium's Muslim community.

Knack journalist Chris De Stoop spoke with rebels on the Turkish-Syrian border, rebels based in Brussels and representatives of the Muslim community in Belgium. Most of the victims are believed to be Belgians of Moroccan extraction.
According to Belgian media outlets, the Belgian youngsters are being recruited to fight in Syria but Andre Vandoren of OCAD, the organization that keeps checks on the threat of terrorism, can't say how many have been killed.

Several hundred Belgian youngsters are believed to be in Syria. Chris De Stoop told VRT News that a Belgian imam has knowledge of around 200.
De Stoop further clarified: "Most head off at their own initiative together with some friends. They meet up with a local contact that helps them further."
"Some are motivated by friendship, solidarity or thirst for adventure," he added.

Many of the youngsters are particularly young: "Representatives of the Muslim community put the ages of the youngest at barely 15 or 16."

Meanwhile, another Belgian channel interviewed a French mercenary in Syria.
In details, an un-named former officer in the French army, "Kalin" clarified that "most of the Belgians in Syria did not use arms before."
"They are used to feed guns," he mentioned, and noted that "the young Belgian mercenaries move to Turkey and then infiltrate into Syria."

According to the former officer, "The rebels usually deprive those mercenaries from documents and money so that they can leave the country."


Source: News agencies, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org