Foreign Fighters in Syria Have Doubled Since 2014

The Hill
By: Julian Hattem

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The number of foreigners heading to Syria from Europe, the Middle East and the rest of the globe has doubled since the summer of 2014, according to a new consultant analysis.

Between 27,000 and 31,000 people from 86 countries have traveled to join the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and similar organizations, The Soufan Group estimated in a report released on Tuesday.

Additionally, roughly 20 to 30 percent of those Westerners eventually return home, the consulting firm said.

The findings underscore the growing challenge posed by ISIS’s appeal to radicals from all over the globe and raise doubts about international efforts to stop the flow.

“The challenge to the international community remains, and will be harder to meet as foreign fighters become more adept at disguising their movements and more uncertain in their future intentions,” analysts wrote…

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Download The Soufan Group’s updated report on Foreign Fighters here.

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http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/262421-foreign-fighters-into-syria-have-doubled-since-last-summer