Small Wars Journal

Now That Islamic State Has Fallen In Iraq and Syria, Where Are All Its Fighters Going?

Sat, 02/24/2018 - 3:26pm

Now That Islamic State Has Fallen In Iraq and Syria, Where Are All Its Fighters Going? By Tim Meko – Washington Post

As the Islamic State clings to its last slivers of territory in Syria, the world is starting to grapple with a problem: Some of the 40,000 Islamic State supporters who migrated to the fight in Iraq and Syria are returning home. A study by the Soufan Center and the Global Strategy Network has tracked 5,600 fighters who have returned to their home countries.

These countries haven’t figured out how to address the returnees. Many are imprisoned, while others may be rehabilitated. These rehabilitation programs are difficult to design and run. Returning women and children born while their parents fought in Iraq and Syria present other challenges for re-integration.

While the returning fighters have not been directly responsible for any terror attacks or threats, they serve as an inspiration or model for those who might become radicalized or are becoming radicalized.

More than from any other country, 900 fighters are returning to Turkey. About 1,500 fighters from the country went to Syria and Iraq between 2014 and 2017. More than 3,000 fighters from Saudi Arabia went to fight, and 760 have returned home.

About 1,200 fighters have returned to Europe: 400 to the United Kingdom, 271 to France and about 300 to Germany. Of the 3,400 Russians who joined the fight in Syria and Iraq; 400 are returning.

Northern Africa is also a hot spot for returning fighters, with 800 coming home to Tunisia and nearly 200 to Morocco…

Read on.