Syria's Salafi Networks: More Local Than You Think

Abstract

One of the key factors contributing to the success of efforts to defeat al-Qaeda in Iraq(AQI) was that foreign fighters, led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and others primarily from Jordan and Syria, dominated the organization. These outsiders attempted to impose their influence in Iraq, alienating local Sunni communities and turning them against AQI. Will Syria's extreme Islamists make the same mistakes, or will they build strong local connections? Will they play the role of spoilers in the political process, as suggested by announcements coming from the Nusra Front and others, or can they be convinced to participate in the political process? Reports indicate there are up to 10,000 foreign fighters, many affiliated with al-Qaeda, currently in Syria.1 In what directions and how far will they pull the Syrian opposition?

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2014
Accession Number
AD1042462

Entities

People

  • Sterling Jensen
  • Waleed Al-rawi

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Afghanistan
  • Arabia
  • Chemical Weapons
  • Civil War
  • Governments
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • Political Systems
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Sectarian Violence
  • Security
  • South Asia
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • Violence
  • Warfare
  • Weapons

Readers

  • International Relations and Conflict Resolution
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.