Israel in contact with terrorists in Syria: Israeli cmdr.

An Israeli commander has admitted that the Israeli military is in contact with the foreign-backed militant and terrorist groups inside Syria.

The Israeli commander said that the militants provide Israeli intelligence officials with information on the identity and medical condition of the wounded militants.

Some reports say hundreds of al-Qaeda-linked terrorists have received treatment in Israeli hospitals. Most of them have returned to Syria, where they fight government forces.

On February 18, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a visit to a secret field hospital in the occupied Golan Heights, which offers medical services to the injured militants coming in from Syria.

On February 21, foreign-backed Syrian opposition leader Muhammad Badie reportedly praised Netanyahu for visiting the wounded militants.

Badie said that he and his friends thanked the Israeli premier for publicly voicing support for the injured militants.

Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since 2011.

Damascus says the US and its allies support the militant groups operating inside Syria.