Kazakhstan’s repatriation of foreign fighters and their families
Fri, Jan 8, 2021 9:00 AM
As one of the main sources of foreign fighters for the conflict in Syria and Iraq, Central Asia now faces the security and humanitarian challenge of repatriating foreign fighters and their families. What was behind Kazakhstan’s decision to repatriate its citizens, and what can other countries learn from Kazakhstan’s progress?
As one of the main sources of foreign fighters for the conflict in Syria and Iraq, Central Asia now faces the security and humanitarian challenge of repatriating foreign fighters and their families. Kazakhstan has emerged as a global leader in repatriation efforts for foreign fighters returning from Syria, having repatriated nearly 600 of its citizens, mostly women and children, through the “Zhusan” operation. Kazakhstan’s programs and tools for repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration may serve as a model for other nations. What was behind Kazakhstan’s decision to repatriate its citizens, and what can other countries learn from Kazakhstan’s progress? How can the US and other Western partners support this effort?