Foreign fighters in Iraq, Syria have doubled—report

In this file photo released on May 20, 2015, provided by the Kurdish fighters of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, Kurdish fighters of the YPG, flash victory signs as they sit on their pickup on their way to battle against ISIS, near Kezwan mountain, northeast Syria. Drawing on thousands of fighters from Syria’s mix of religious and ethnic groups, a U.S.-backed alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces has emerged as the most effective fighting force against ISIS in Syria. The Kurdish fighters of the People’s Protection Units via AP File Photo

HONG KONG, China—The number of foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria has more than doubled since last year to at least 27,000, a report by an intelligence consultancy said Tuesday, highlighting the global dimension of the conflict.

The figures, compiled by The Soufan Group, indicate that efforts by countries around the world to stem the flow of foreign fighters to Iraq and Syria and blunt the appeal of violent organisations such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group appear to have made little impact.

“The foreign fighter phenomenon in Iraq and Syria is truly global,” the New York-based organisation’s report said.

“The Islamic State has seen success beyond the dreams of other terrorist groups that now appear conventional and even old-fashioned, such as Al-Qaeda.

“It has energised tens of thousands of people to join it, and inspired many more to support it.”

In all, between 27,000 and 31,000 foreign fighters from 86 countries have travelled to Iraq and Syria, The Soufan Group said, compared to a figure of around 12,000 foreign fighters in Syria when it last published a similar study in June 2014.

The largest number traveled to the two countries, across which ISIS controls a swathe of territory, from the Middle East and the Maghreb, with around 8,000 foreign fighters each.

Around 5,000 made their way from Europe, with a further 4,700 from former Soviet republics.

The Soufan Group added that between 20 and 30 percent of foreign fighters were returning to their home countries, creating major challenges for domestic security agencies as ISIS in particular looks to carry out an increasing number of attacks overseas.

The group claimed responsibility for a massive attack in Paris last month that left 130 dead, and its fighters have been held responsible for violence in a litany of countries ranging from Iraq to Bangladesh.

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