European Union member states have today pledges to prevent citizens fighting in Syria from turning to terror.

EU home affairs ministers said they plan to increase surveillance of social media, intensify cooperation with nations that border Syria like Turkey and urge the European Parliament to approve legislation to make suspicious travel to the region more traceable.

Terror fears have increased recently after a British soldier was slain on a London street in broad daylight and a French soldier was stabbed while patrolling a crowded area just outside Paris, even though neither was linked to returning Syria fighters.

Anti-terror measures are still largely the domain of the individual EU nations but the ministers hope the EU can pool some resources to make them more effective.

Commenting on the pledge Director of ODFS Ribal Al-Assad said:

“I fully support this pledge, as I have previously warned, foreign fighters are joining Islamist rebel factions in Syria, this is dangerous for the whole region and if the situation continues could lead to a regional war.

With the vast majority of rebel factions linked to Islamic extremist groups these foreign extremists are only serving to perpetuate the violence and further exacerbate tensions.

The international community must remain vigilant and keep a track their citizens; there is a very real danger of these rebels returning to their home nations to perpetrate heinous attacks such as those seen in Woolwich last month. These individuals must be brought to justice before it is too late.

Home Office reports including from France, Canada and Germany have highlighted this as an issue of paramount concern.

I am pleased to see the EU taking such a tough stance.

Peaceful dialogue is the only solution and we must avoid a further militarisation of the conflict which will undoubtedly arm these individuals further.”