"The German government must explain which groups in Idlib are financed by Germany. If the money really is spent on reconstruction and civil society needs, it’s a good thing. But we are very sceptical if this is the case. It must be sure that Islamic terrorists do not profit off that," Pflueger said.
Pluegfer also called on the German government to support the Kurdish forces in Syria.
READ MORE: Germany, US to Push for UN-Brokered Political Solution for Syria — German FM
On October 30, German Der Tagesspiegel newspaper reported that Germany had spent 48.8 million euro ($55 million) in funds on opposition rebel groups in the Idlib province. In a written response to Die Linke, seen by the media outlet, Foreign Ministry official Walter Lindner said the money went to "civil actors opposing extremist influences in the Idlib region."
The remaining 11.3 million euros were contributed by unidentified donors. On top of it came 17 million euros in EU funds passed along by German agencies.
READ MORE: Russia, Turkey, Germany, France Committed to 'Syrian-Owned' Political Process
According to Anton Friesen, a member of the Bundestag Committee on Foreign Affairs from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Berlin should immediately stop funding Syrian opposition and focus on the problem of the return of Syrian refugees from Germany to their homeland.
"The German government should immediately stop all payments to Syrian rebels or opposition groups. Instead, Germany should support the return of Syrian refugees from Germany. They should get a job training in Germany and support to found their own business in Syria," Friesen told Sputnik.
The province of Idlib in northwest Syria is the last remaining stronghold of terrorist groups operating in the country, including Jabhat al-Nusra*, which has joined forces with four other jihadi groups in Idlib to form a terrorist alliance called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham*, widely regarded as the dominant force on the ground in the province.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (also known as HTS or al-Qaeda in Syria), and Al-Nusra Front (also known as Jabhat al-Nusra or Jabhat Fatah al-Sham) are terrorist groups, banned in Russia.
