CENTRAL ASIANS FIGHTING IN SYRIA

THE DANGER OF ISLAMIC STATE RETOURNEES TO CENTRAL ASIA

Authors

  • Antonio Alonso Marcos Universidad CEU San Pablo (Madrid)

Keywords:

yihadismo, islamismo, Asia Central, Estado Islámico

Abstract

On June 29 2016, a Russian, an Uzbek and a Kyrgyz perpetrated a terrorist
attack in Istanbul Atatürk Airport. Roughly 3000 people from
Central Asian countries have left their homes and joined the ranks of
Islamic State (IS) in Syria. IS recruits them throughout the territory of
the former Soviet Union and places them on the battlefield. Governments
try to halt this flood of people – many of whom are youngsters
— however they are not always very successful. Despite these recruits
not holding great weight within the IS structure, social media has been
quick to show its grave concern on the issue because of the “call effect”
it could have. Thus, the jihadist threat in this region is once again at the
top of the security agenda of the countries of Central Asia.

Author Biography

  • Antonio Alonso Marcos, Universidad CEU San Pablo (Madrid)
    Profesor de Historia y Sociedad en el Departamento de Humanidades de la Facultad de Humanidades y CC. de la Comunicación en la Universidad CEU San Pablo (Madrid).

Published

2018-11-14

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

CENTRAL ASIANS FIGHTING IN SYRIA: THE DANGER OF ISLAMIC STATE RETOURNEES TO CENTRAL ASIA. (2018). Journal of the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies, 9. https://revista.ieee.es/revistaieee/article/view/207