Home-grown extremists died battling President Bashar al-Assad's forces as fears grow that the Syrian conflict could be a breeding ground for British terrorists, it has been claimed.
Four British citizens have died fighting for Syrian rebels linked to al-Qaeda, amid fears that the country's civil war is increasingly attracting Islamic radicals from the UK.
Government estimates suggest as many as 300 Britons have joined the campaign to topple President Bashar al-Assad, elements of which have fallen under the influence of Islamic extremists.
Three of the Britons, believed to be from London, were killed fighting pro-Assad forces near Aleppo while a fourth was shot a fortnight later, according to The Times.