Foreign fighters in Syria request citizenship from new government
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Thousands of foreign fighters who joined the Syrian war have asked the transitional government for citizenship, citing their role in opposing the former regime.
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Syria's security forces check their mobile phones at a checkpoint in Damascus, Syria, early Friday, May 2, 2025 (AP)
Thousands of foreign fighters who took part in the war in Syria have formally requested citizenship from the country’s transitional government, Reuters reported on Thursday.
In a letter addressed to Syria’s Ministry of Interior, the fighters argued that they “deserve citizenship after contributing to supporting the opposition to the former regime and working to overthrow Bashar al-Assad.”
The letter requested that they be granted citizenship and the right to hold Syrian passports “so they can settle, own land, and travel.”
According to Reuters, the request was delivered by Bilal Abdul Kareem, a prominent voice among foreign Islamists in Syria. A US-born comedian turned war correspondent, Abdul Kareem has been living in Syria since 2012.
In a phone interview with Reuters, Abdul Kareem said the petition “covers thousands of foreigners from more than 12 countries.” These include fighters from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Maldives, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the United States, and Canada, as well as individuals of Chechen and Uyghur origin.
Fear of return to their countries
Many of the fighters and their families lack valid legal documents, while some have been stripped of their original citizenship. Others fear long prison terms or even execution if they return to their home countries.
Foreign fighters once played a key role in helping Syrian militants topple al-Assad's government and rule in his stead, but they have now become a significant challenge for the country’s emerging leadership, The Wall Street Journal reported on May 1.
As the United States and Syria call to expel the extremist members, Syria’s new government remains deeply divided over how to handle thousands of foreign militants. The Wall Street Journal highlighted that internal disagreements are mounting as concerns grow over ethnically driven violence linked to some of these groups.
US backs integration of foreign fighters into army
The United States gave in June its approval to a plan by Syria’s new leadership to integrate thousands of former hardline opposition fighters, including foreign nationals, into the ranks of the Syrian army, Reuters reported on Monday.
In an interview with the agency, US President Donald Trump’s envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, confirmed that Washington had agreed to the proposal under specific conditions. "The United States has agreed to a plan proposed by the new Syrian leadership to allow thousands of former hardline opposition fighters to join the National Army, provided this occurs transparently," Barrack said.
He emphasized that it would be more effective to keep these fighters, many of whom are described as "very loyal" to the current government, under official state control rather than leaving them outside the system.
