# Foreign Fighters in Syria



## xf4wso (Jul 31, 2013)

Two recent news stories give some information on foreign fighters in Syria fighting for Jabhat an-Nusra (linked with al-Qaeda):

"American passport found at al Qaeda base in northern Syria" -
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/07/american_passport_fo.php

and a story from CNNTurk (in Turkish) on the discovery of three Turkish ID documents at the same base
http://www.cnnturk.com/2013/guncel/...asinin.oldugu.one.suruldu/715987.0/index.html

According to the story the IDs were found on dead Jabhat an-Nusra fighters in the town of Ras al-Ayn; one of the dead had previously been arrested in Turkey for links with al-Qaeda.


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## RackMaster (Aug 1, 2013)

I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Canadian passports start turning up.


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## pardus (Aug 1, 2013)

Yeah, this isnt surprising in the least.


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## xf4wso (Aug 1, 2013)

Also keep in mind that the situation in northern Syria cold become really messy for Turkey since both Sunni jihadists and ethnic Kurds could cross from Turkey into Syria and join the conflict on opposing sides...


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## Grimfury160 (Aug 4, 2013)

xf4wso said:


> Also keep in mind that the situation in northern Syria cold become really messy for Turkey since both Sunni jihadists and ethnic Kurds could cross from Turkey into Syria and join the conflict on opposing sides...


Syria has always been a test bed of uncertainty, either way we should send in Team America.........


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## xf4wso (Aug 4, 2013)

Grimfury160 said:


> Syria has always been a test bed of uncertainty, either way we should send in Team America.........


It's about to get more uncertain - the main Kurdish party in Turkey supports the Kurds in northern Syria (supported by Assad) and their bid for autonomy there, while to government (a US ally) supports the opposition.


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## Florida173 (Aug 5, 2013)

The Kurds aren't much of a factor with the 200+ other opposition groups running around with varying degrees of association with AQ.  I'd agree with them that Assad is probably the better choice in regards to their best interests.


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## xf4wso (Aug 6, 2013)

Possibly, but don't count out help from Kurds in Turkey and northern Iraq - they may see a successful bid for autonomy in Syria as being in their best interest.


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## Florida173 (Aug 6, 2013)

> Possibly, but don't count out help from Kurds in Turkey and northern Iraq - they may see a successful bid for autonomy in Syria as being in their best interest.



Brokered by whom?  The Kurds haven't amounted to much since the crusades.  They are too divided and influenced/manipulated to ever have a nation.  Any Kurdish autonomous region other than what they have in northern Iraq is a dream.


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## racing_kitty (Aug 7, 2013)

In this political climate, they will probably try for autonomy anyway, pipe dream or not. The success of that notion remains to be seen. I don't see either of the main factions allowing such once a victor comes out on top.


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