The mobilization of American foreign fighters to Islamic State-held territory in Syria and Iraq garnered extensive policy and media attention over the last several years. Following the decline of the Islamic State’s territorial holdings, attention shifted to the remaining foreign fighters who either attempted to return to their home countries or were detained in Syria and Iraq. Little focus has been paid, however, to the Americans who traveled—and continue to travel—to hotspots beyond Syria and Iraq. As the threat posed by jihadist groups overseas adjusts to new geopolitical dynamics, taking stock of these travelers in alternate theaters helps makes sense of the next possible phases of foreign fighter mobilization. This report examines cases of Americans who traveled or attempted to travel to jihadist conflict theaters outside of Syria and Iraq between January 2011 and July 2019, specifically Afghanistan-Pakistan (Af-Pak), Libya, Mali, Nigeria, the Sinai Peninsula, Somalia, and Yemen.
The Other Travelers: American Jihadists Beyond Syria and Iraq
August 31, 2019