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Zoltán Prantner

The problem of the return of the Islamic State’s Balkan volunteers

The problem of the return of the Islamic State’s Balkan volunteers

Abstract

According estimates, the number of the men and their family members from the Western Balkan countries exceeded 1000 person who travelled to the territory of Iraq or Syria for supporting their Muslim comrades. Most of them joined the Islamic State there, while the minority enriched the ranks of Jabhat al-Nusra or other smaller jihadist groups. However, hundreds of them have already returned from the Middle East to their country of origin in the recent years or months where they faced different treatment depending on their gender and age.

Keywords

Western Balkan, Islamic State, foreign fighters and volunteers, religious and violent extremism
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