MENA Countries’ responses to the foreign fighter phenomenon

Abstract

Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, over 11,000 foreign fighters from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have joined the ranks of Sunni militant groups in Syria and Iraq. Initially, MENA States had a lax approach to fighters travelling abroad. Some States opposed Bashar al-Assad’s regime, and thus at least implicitly supported this flow of fighters, while other States hoped that allowing their militants to go abroad would alleviate domestic security pressures. But as jihadist groups’ dominance over the rebel landscape in Syria became apparent, MENA States’ policies began to shift. These countries now have employed a number of responsive strategies, including counter-messaging designed to curb recruitment, travel restrictions, intelligence sharing, targeted counterterrorism policies, and arrest and prosecution once foreign fighters come home. This chapter examines the efforts of five MENA States, each a significant source of foreign fighters: Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Jordan, and Lebanon. Essentially, the growing challenge posed by foreign fighters took many MENA States by surprise, forcing these countries to piece together hurried and ad hoc policies. The search for best practices in the region will continue.