MAKHACHKALA (Dagestan): The leader of a restive province in Russia's Caucasus Mountains says local Islamic militants are fighting alongside rebels in Syria and could further destabilise their home region when they return.

Ramazan Abdulatipov, the acting president of the province of Dagestan, said in remarks posted on his website on Sunday that the “export of extremists” should be prevented by making it hard for militants to leave Russia. “These people go there and they will come back tomorrow with the backing of international extremist and terrorist organisations,” Abdulatipov said during a meeting with local officials on Friday.

Andrei Konin, the head of the regional branch of Russia's Federal Security Service, the main KGB successor agency, told the meeting that about 200 residents of Dagestan are currently in Syria, and some of them are fighting alongside rebels.

Konin said many people from Dagestan go to Syria for studies but end up in rebel ranks to join what they consider a jihad or holy war. —AP