News Archive

It is believed there are up to eight thousand foreign fighters currently active in the Syrian civil war.  While estimates of the exact numbers vary, one or two thousand of these fighters are from Western countries.  What draws these fighters to Syria?  What are governments doing to divert the potential consequences?

Samantha Smith, Research Intern at the Centre for Muslim States and Societies, is developing a comparative analysis of the impact of armed conflict on civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria. In a CMSS Newsbrief article published this week, Samantha analyses the experience drawing foreign fighters to Syria, and the reactions of Western governments.