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Recently, a Dari-language article in the Afghan press examined the role of Uyghur and other Central Asian jihadi fighters in the fighting against the Bashar Al-Assad regime in Syria, which resulted in the overthrow of the Shi'ite leader, by the forces aligned with Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS).
The article, titled "Jihad In The Land Of Sham – The Role Of Uyghurs, Uzbeks, And Tajiks In The Syrian War," was published by Independent Persian Afghanistan. It examined the involvement of jihadi fighters from Central Asia, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, especially as their presence in the Syrian fighting was seen on social media.
Fighters of the East Turkestan Islamic Party in Syria (courtesy: Independent Persian)
Following are excerpts from the article, as translated from Dari:
"The Exact Number Of Tajik, Uzbek, And Chinese Uyghur Citizens Present In Syria Is Unknown, But These Individuals Operate In Three Separate Groups Under The Leadership Of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham"
"In the large-scale and swift offensive by Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham and groups opposing Bashar Al-Assad's government in Syria, which led to the rapid fall of Aleppo, the presence of a significant number of fighters originally from Central Asian countries, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan caught the attention of media and terrorism experts. Because, although thousands of jihadis from around the world had traveled to Syria and Iraq after the rise of ISIS to fight under its flag, these non-Arab jihadis had almost disappeared from Iraq and Syria following the collapse of the ISIS caliphate. Now, in a new wave of war, they have once again emerged from their hideouts.
"On Wednesday, Azar 7 [November 27], coinciding with the implementation of a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham launched widespread and coordinated attacks on the positions of Bashar Al-Assad's government forces in northern Syria.
"Following the start of this offensive, a group of Tajik, Chinese, and Uzbek jihadis, who had been present in Syria for several years, posted messages on their Telegram channels announcing their participation in the 'war against the unbelievers in the land of Sham.' These Telegram channels, with thousands of followers, most of whom are citizens of these countries – produce content in Persian (using Cyrillic script), Uyghur, and Russian.
"The exact number of Tajik, Uzbek, and Chinese Uyghur citizens present in Syria is unknown, but these individuals operate in three separate groups under the leadership of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham."
"Tajik Jihadis Residing In Syria Operate Under An Organization Called Jaish Al-Jihad Imam Abu Hanifa"; "In An Audio Message From The Jaish Al-Jihad Imam Abu Hanifa Organization... People Were Urged To Join Jihad"
"Jaish Al-Jihad Imam Abu Hanifa
"Tajik jihadis residing in Syria operate under an organization called Jaish Al-Jihad Imam Abu Hanifa. Members of this group refer to its flag and name as the central focus of their activities on their Telegram channels. Several Telegram channels affiliated with this organization are active, sharing jihadi messages and reports from the Syrian battlefield.
"In an audio message from the Jaish Al-Jihad Imam Abu Hanifa organization, released simultaneously with the start of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham's war in Aleppo, people were urged to join jihad. A man identifying himself as Abu Osman Hamas stated in the message, citing Quranic verses about jihad: 'The enemies of Islam are striving to extinguish the light of Allah.'
"There is no available information about the exact founding date of Jaish Al-Jihad Imam Abu Hanifa, and no reports have been published regarding the presence of an organization by this name in other countries, including Afghanistan, which has hosted Tajik jihadists for nearly 20 years. Members of Jaish Al-Jihad Imam Abu Hanifa are active on social media platforms, including YouTube, Telegram, Instagram, and Facebook, with their primary audience being Tajik citizens.
"Although the Tajik government has imposed restrictions on jihadi activities on social media to prevent the publication of their messages, widespread internet access and the availability of VPNs have enabled these groups to continue their activities. Their content reaches a large number of followers inside and outside Tajikistan. A large population of Tajik citizens resides in various countries worldwide, with 2.4 million Tajiks living in Russia alone. Tajik security agencies have previously expressed concerns about extremist groups recruiting among Tajik migrants in Russia.
"The deadly attack by four Tajik members of ISIS-Khurasan on the Crocus Concert Hall in the outskirts of Moscow in March 2024 intensified fears of the influence of terrorist groups like ISIS-Khurasan among Tajik migrants. This incident prompted Russia to intensify its efforts to expel dangerous individuals from the country."
"Although Jamaat Ansarullah Of Tajikistan Has More Experience And A Longer History Compared To Jaish Al-Jihad Imam Abu Hanifa, Its Members In Afghanistan Live Under Strict Taliban Restrictions"
"Although Jamaat Ansarullah of Tajikistan has more experience and a longer history compared to Jaish Al-Jihad Imam Abu Hanifa, its members in Afghanistan live under strict Taliban restrictions and are not allowed to operate freely and independently. After returning to power, the Taliban relocated members of this group from Badakhshan, near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border, to a military base on the outskirts of Pul-e-Khumri. This move was aimed to prevent them from conducting activities along the Tajikistan border without Taliban coordination.
"Members of Jamaat Ansarullah are not even allowed to freely operate on social media platforms, including Telegram. Some channels affiliated with the group occasionally release videos recorded in enclosed spaces without any explanation, and they mainly reshare content produced in previous years. Meanwhile, Tajik jihadis in areas controlled by Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham in Syria enjoy complete freedom. Most of the Telegram channels and high-traffic YouTube and Instagram pages affiliated with the group are managed by people residing in Syria.
A screenshot from the article
"One of the Tajik jihadis in Syria, known as 'Musafir Tactical', produces videos on YouTube and Telegram to promote and recruit young Tajiks for the war. He also creates content teaching weapon usage, the operation of communication devices, the repair of automatic weapons, and guerrilla warfare tactics.
"Another member of the group, known as Mohsen Tajiki, also has thousands of followers on social media. Since the start of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham's offensive on Aleppo, he has been providing updates moment by moment on the advances toward villages and towns under the control of Bashar Al-Assad's government.
"Recently, in a video posted on his YouTube channel, he claimed to have collected $40,000, which he sent to several families in Gaza. In the video, members of these families in Gaza confirm that they have received the money. It is unclear whether the Tajik jihadis residing in Syria collect money from Tajik migrants in other countries or carry out this fundraising within Syria.
"In another video, Mohsen states that in three rounds of fundraising for war victims in Gaza, he collected 22,000$ each time. He mentions elderly Tajik women who sent him 1,000 rubles from their earnings through labor work. However, he does not specify which countries the donations came from but, ruble is the currency of Russia and is also used in some Central Asian countries."
"The East Turkestan Islamic Party Is One Of The Most Active Jihadi Groups In Syria, And Compared To Other Central Asian-Origin Groups, It Has More Resources And Manpower"; "In Syria, This Group Is... Known As The 'Katibat Turkestani'"
"The East Turkestan Islamic Party
"The East Turkestan Islamic Party is one of the most active jihadi groups in Syria, and compared to other Central Asian-origin groups, it has more resources and manpower. This group is a Uyghur jihadi organization that has been active in the Syrian civil war since around 2012. Its stated goal is to establish an Islamic state in the Xinjiang region of China (East Turkestan) and it is aligned with various jihadi groups in Syria, including branches of Al-Qaeda.
"The Turkestan Islamic Party was initially founded with the goal of supporting the independence of Xinjiang (East Turkestan). Over time, however, it shifted toward a jihadi ideology, aligning itself with Al-Qaeda and pursuing conflicts beyond China's borders. In Syria, this group is more commonly known as the 'Katibat Turkestani.'
"The exact number of Eastern Turkestan Islamic Party fighters in Syria is unclear, but some Syrian media have estimated their numbers 4,000. According to a United Nations Security Council report, Abdulhaq Turkistani and Abdul Salam Turkistani, the leader and deputy leader of the party, are living in northern Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban.
"Coinciding with the attack of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham on Aleppo, the East Turkestan Islamic Party released a video of its fighters' military training, in which dozens of people equipped with modern weapons are seen riding in armored vehicles. In this video, China is threatened with military action and the establishment of an Islamic state in Xinjiang.
"Members of this party have announced their presence in the war against Bashar Al-Assad's forces in videos on Telegram, and the channels affiliated with them provide information in the Uyghur language about the war in Syria, the capture of villages and towns, and the acquisition of military sites and equipment."
"Uzbek And Kyrgyz Fighters Operate Within A Group Called Katibat Al-Tawhid WAl-Jihad, Which Was Established In Northern Syria In 2013"
"Jihadis From Uzbekistan And Kyrgyzstan
"Fighters from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are also present in Syria, having fought under the flag of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham during the attack on Aleppo, and are now on the front lines fighting to advance toward other cities in Syria. These Uzbek and Kyrgyz fighters operate within a group called Katibat Al-Tawhid wAl-Jihad, which was established in northern Syria in 2013.
"In March 2022, the U.S. Department of State designated this group as a terrorist organization due to its terrorist activities and its connections with international terrorist organizations, including Al-Qaeda.
Mohsen Tajiki is active on social media (courtesy: Independent Persian)
"Members of this group also released videos on their Telegram channels at the same time as Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham's attack on Aleppo, and over the past week [early December 2024], they have been providing updates moment by moment in the Uzbek, Kyrgyz, and Russian languages.
"The links between Katibat Al-Tawhid wAl-Jihad in Syria and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan based in Afghanistan cannot be traced through the activities of their members on social media, but both groups are working toward the overthrow of the current government of Uzbekistan and the establishment of an Islamic state in the country."
"Videos Of Afghan And Pakistani Fighters Joining The Opposition To Bashar Al-Assad's Regime Have Been Shared On Social Media"
"Fighters From Afghanistan And Pakistan
"In the week since Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham's attack on Aleppo and the advance toward other Syrian cities, videos of Afghan and Pakistani fighters joining the opposition to Bashar Al-Assad's regime have been shared on social media.
"However, it is unclear which of the jihadi groups within the opposition coalition they are fighting with. The presence of Afghans and Pakistanis in the anti-Assad front is limited, and as a result, they, like the Uyghur, Uzbek, and Tajik jihadis, do not have a separate and independent group.
"Meanwhile, the Fatemiyoun and Zainabiyoun Brigades, formed by the Quds Force of the Islamic Republic [of Iran] from among Afghan and Pakistani Shi'ites, are present in the ranks of Bashar Al-Assad's allies in Syrian territory.
"Although the Central Asian, China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan jihadis fighting in Syria cannot pose an immediate threat to their home countries due to Syria's geographical location, they take advantage of the operational freedom they have in Syria to promote jihadi ideology in their countries of origin. The majority of the content shared on the Telegram channels of these fighters invites their fellow citizens to join jihad..."
Source: IndependentPersian.com, December 6, 2024.
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