Mending the vestiges of jihadism
Conflict in Syria has renewed a world focus on what to do with thousands of former Islamic State fighters and their families held for years in prison camps.聽
Conflict in Syria has renewed a world focus on what to do with thousands of former Islamic State fighters and their families held for years in prison camps.聽
Liberated from a dictatorship 14 months ago, Syrians are struggling to unify their pivotal Middle East country. One example was an attack last month by the new government on an ethnic Kurdish area. A negotiated settlement has since calmed the region 鈥� a small step toward democracy 鈥� but it has also brought a fresh focus on an old problem: What to do with the former fighters of the Islamic State group and their families?
While ISIS forces were decisively defeated in 2019 through a multinational effort, northeastern Syria is still home to pockets of former fighters 鈥� and more than 20 prison camps administered until now by Kurdish forces with U.S. support.
Some governments and analysts worry that these camps are potential hotbeds for fomenting continued radicalism. Many of the estimated 50,000 prisoners are family members of ISIS fighters from Syria and Iraq. Approximately 8,000 鈥� including women and children 鈥� are citizens of other countries, indicating the cross-national appeal of ISIS鈥� aims.
Iraq and Central Asian nations brought several thousand nationals back home from the camps soon after 2019. But countries such as Britain, France, and the Netherlands have been slow to do so, fearing returnees would bring back radicalism with them.
U.S. officials, as reported by NPR, 鈥渁rgue that, for long-term global security, you鈥檝e got to get those people out of there and reintegrate them into society.鈥� The Trump administration has urged that ISIS-affiliated women and children be reunited with relatives in their home countries, calling it a 鈥渉igh priority鈥� and the 鈥渙nly durable solution.鈥�
Such 鈥渞eintegration and recovery鈥� of innocent children is 鈥渇ully possible,鈥� a grandfather of several repatriated minors in Sweden told Human Rights Watch. 鈥淢y grandchildren are evidence of this,鈥� the man said, adding, 鈥淎ll children should ... get a new chance in life.鈥�
Shifting attitudes in the Middle East help support a more hopeful, less fearful expectation for the future: There, both civilians and religious leaders are increasingly calling for a separation of faith from politics 鈥� and for democratic rule over autocracy.
A December report by Arab Barometer noted that a majority of Arabs prefer democracy, which they 鈥渃onceive of ... as dignity, prioritizing social and economic outcomes over procedural features such as elections.鈥� And a 2023 Cambridge University study of the region found what it called 鈥渁 nuanced view鈥� of the relationship of Islam to the state. 鈥淐itizens can desire formal recognition for religion without supporting religious leaders鈥� direct involvement [in governance],鈥� it said.
In January, the secretary-general of the Muslim World League spoke out against 鈥渆xploiting religious texts as tools to ignite unjust wars or to deny legitimate rights.鈥�
鈥淭rue religious leaders are not spokespeople for power,鈥� said Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Alissa. 鈥淩ather, they are guardians of virtue and justice, and advocates of dialogue and peace.鈥�