The suspects, aged between 22 and 35, were arrested in the south-eastern Paris suburb of Vitry-sur-Seine by the France's Central Directorate of Homeland Intelligence (DCRI) internal security service following an investigation that started in mid-2012, police sources said on Friday.

One 24-year-old man, suspected of organizing the recruitment of militants to Syria, was in touch with several "fixers" who facilitated travel between Turkey and Syria, while another previously fought with the terrorist group in Syria, the sources said.

At least two of the men went to Syria to fight for the al-Nusra Front. Three of the men were born in France and one in Morocco. A woman was also arrested but released later.

A court ordered the men to be jailed temporarily pending further questioning.

An informed source said that about 440 people from France were either currently fighting in the war, were planning to go and fight, or had recently returned.

Half this number are currently in Syria, approximately 10 have been killed and between 50 and 60 returned to France, the source told.

The arrests were the latest in a series in France since the start of the charged-war in Syria, which began two and a half years ago.

Syrian government has announced that tens of thousands of foreign militants from over 80 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the US and European countries, are fighting in Syria.

RA/SHI