The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said that the number of Syrian fighters sent by Turkey to Libya has so far risen to roughly 15,300 mercenaries.
Approximately 5,250 of them having already returned to Syria, while Turkey continues to bring more fighters to its training camps.
In a statement released on Sunday, the SOHR said that it has monitored the return of a batch of fighters to Syria from Libya, in conjunction with a reversal of the process during which fighters from the pro-Ankara factions went towards Libya after receiving training in camps inside Turkey.
Among the total number of recruits there are about 300 children between the ages of 14 and 18, most of them in the “Sultan Murad” division, who were recruited to fight in Libya through a process of financial temptation which exploits their difficult living conditions.
The SOHR also indicated that 400 mercenaries have gone to Libya as a pretext to reach Europe, and have entered the continent illegally through Italy.
More pro-Ankara Syrian fighters have been killed during the battles alongside Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) against the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.
According to data presented by the SOHR, the death toll among the pro-Turkish factions as a result of military operations in Libya has reached about 459 fighters, including 30 children under the age of 18, in addition to leaders of groups within those factions.