Syria says 500 IS militants moved to Yemen

Syrian army said on Tuesday that Turkish, Qatari and Emirate airplanes transported 500 Islamic State (IS) militants to Yemen's Aden city, the state news agency SANA reported.

The 500 IS militants were fighting in Syria and withdrew out of the country under the Russian airstrikes, Syrian army said in a statement.

The military statement said the information is based on concert intel.

Upon arriving at the airport of Aden, Saudi officers divided the IS militants into three groups; the first was sent to the Bab al-Mandeb area, the second to the city of Mareb, while the third to the Saudi provinces of Jazan and Asir to join the ground forces of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, according to the military statement.

It added that the process of moving the IS militants in Syria will continue in the near future.

Syrian government has for long accused Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia of supporting the terrorist groups in Syria throughout the country's nearly five-year-long conflict. Endit