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2. Unpacking Kosovo's response to returnees from the war zones in Syria and Iraq
- Author:
- Skender Perteshi and Ramadan Ilazi
- Publication Date:
- 01-2020
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)
- Abstract:
- This report finds that the government of Kosovo as well as civil society have, overall, positively responded to the needs of the returnees and supported their reintegration, albeit shortcomings with the extent of implementation of proclaimed commitments towards the returnees. Upon arrival in Kosovo institutions provide medical care, temporary housing, mental health sessions, while preparing them for reintegration in the society. Kosovo has two overall approaches to the returnees: punitive-restorative approaches and societal reintegration programs. Following a period of 72 hours returnees are interrogated by authorities to determine their roles in the war zones in Syria and Iraq, while confirmed foreign fighters are arrested. The first set of measures deals with those Kosovars who are found to have committed a criminal offense for participating in a foreign conflict in accordance with the national legislation. While in the correctional service, foreign fighters are offered access to programs that aim to help them with skills development to increase their employability, completion of education, as well as, training and lectures that target radical religious beliefs.
- Topic:
- Security, Civil Society, Conflict, Syrian War, Foreign Fighters, and Reintegration
- Political Geography:
- Iraq, Middle East, Kosovo, and Syria
3. August 2019 Issue
- Author:
- Michael Knights, Raffaello Pantucci, Adrian Shtuni, Kujtim Bytyqi, Sam Mullins, and Ross Dayton
- Publication Date:
- 04-2019
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- CTC Sentinel
- Institution:
- The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
- Abstract:
- In our feature article, Michael Knights draws on six research visits to Iraq in 2018 and 2019 to document the expanding footprint region-by-region of pro-Iranian militias in Iraq that were previously labeled “Special Groups” by the United States and in some cases designated as terrorist organizations. Knights assesses “that the Special Groups (not including 18,000-22,000 Badr troops) currently have 63,000 registered personnel … 15 times the size of the Special Groups in 2010, when there were probably as few as 4,000 Special Group operatives in Iraq (again not including Badr personnel in 2010).” He notes a key driver for their growth in manpower and popularity in Iraq was their role in fighting the Islamic State and liberating Sunni population centers under Islamic State control. He writes that “a pantheon of smaller, newer pro-Iran militias is arguably closer to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps than larger and older pro-Iranian militias such as Badr and Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq” and identifies Kata’ib Hezbollah led by U.S.-designated terrorist Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis as the greatest threat to U.S. interests. With pro-Tehran militias expanding their presence across Iraq and U.S. influence in Iraq reduced since its 2011 troop withdrawal, he argues the United States “needs to be parsimonious and pragmatic if it wishes to push back effectively.” Our interview is with Suzanne Raine, who was the head of the United Kingdom’s Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) between 2015 and 2017. She outlines to Raffaello Pantucci the lessons learned from her work in counterterrorism and the threat landscape as she sees it. Two articles in this issue focus on the Western Balkans. Adrian Shtuni provides a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the security threats posed by foreign fighters and homegrown jihadis from the region. Kujtim Bytyqi, the Acting Director of the Department for Analysis and Security Policies at the Kosovo Security Council Secretariat, and Sam Mullins outline Kosovo’s experience dealing with returning foreign fighters. Finally, Ross Dayton documents how the Maduro regime in Venezuela has increased its reliance on paramilitary groups, including the Colombian left-wing guerrilla group ELN, which was responsible for the suicide car bomb attack on the National Police Academy in Bogotá, Colombia, in January 2019.
- Topic:
- Terrorism, Counter-terrorism, Jihad, Army, Militias, Foreign Fighters, and Paramilitary
- Political Geography:
- Iraq, United Kingdom, Europe, Iran, Middle East, Kosovo, Syria, and Venezuela
4. Citizens perception and community response on returned foreign fighters - Special Edition of Kosovo Security Barometer
- Author:
- Vesë Kelmendi
- Publication Date:
- 05-2018
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)
- Abstract:
- The report is divided in three parts. The first part of the report consists of a general description of public perception on violent extremism based on the 2017 data-gathering efforts. This is categorized on ethnically-motivated threats, religiously-based violent extremism and politically motivated violent extremism. In addition, the report analyzes respondents’ attitudes toward national and religious causes.
- Topic:
- Public Opinion, Violent Extremism, Survey, Community, Foreign Fighters, and Repatriation
- Political Geography:
- Eastern Europe and Kosovo
5. Beyond the triggers: new threats of violent extremism in Kosovo
- Author:
- Skender Perteshi
- Publication Date:
- 10-2018
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)
- Abstract:
- The aim of this report is to identify the new trends and threats of terrorism and violent extremism in Kosovo in the aftermath of IS defeat. The challenges identified in the report are instances of domestic terrorism, lone wolf terrorists,11 vulnerable communities, reintegration of the returned former fighters and their families.
- Topic:
- Security, Violent Extremism, Islamic State, Foreign Fighters, and Repatriation
- Political Geography:
- Eastern Europe and Kosovo
6. Reintegration of returning foreign fighters: What approach best suits Kosovo?
- Author:
- Arife Muji
- Publication Date:
- 05-2017
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)
- Abstract:
- Since Kosovo has no experience with dealing with returned foreign fighters, especially with programs aimed at the rehabilitation and reintegration of radicalized persons, this document fits into several models and experiences that have been adopted by some states. This report analysis models of the three study cases from: Germany, Danmark and Saudi Arabia. By analizing such models, KCSS offers and alternative programme separated in three phases: Rehabilitation, reintegration and post-prison phase.
- Topic:
- Violent Extremism, Foreign Fighters, Repatriation, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration
- Political Geography:
- Eastern Europe, Kosovo, Germany, Denmark, and Saudi Arabia
7. Kosovo Risk assessment report since independence - February 2008 - June 2017
- Author:
- Shpend Kursani
- Publication Date:
- 11-2017
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)
- Abstract:
- Between 2012 and 2017, around 315 Kosovo citizens are reported to have travelled to conflict zones in Syria and Iraq. Of these, more than a third have already returned to Kosovo. Another third is believed to still be in the conflict areas, including dozens of non-combatants, among which there are many women and children, while around 60 individuals are believed to have already lost their lives. The number of more than 110 returnees and a similar number of potential returnees raise concerns about the possible risks that they carry for individual and collective security and freedoms in Kosovo, and beyond. According to the 2016 Kosovo Security Barometer (KSB), 75 percent of Kosovo’s citizens perceive the foreign fighter returnees as a threat, while more than 50 percent would not receive a returnee back into their communities.
- Topic:
- Security, Conflict, Foreign Fighters, and Threat Perception
- Political Geography:
- Eastern Europe and Kosovo
8. Report inquiring into the causes and consequences of Kosovo citizens’ involvement as foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq
- Author:
- Shpend Kursani
- Publication Date:
- 04-2015
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)
- Abstract:
- This report also addressed the sources of extremism in Kosovo, as well as inszed the institutional approach in Kosovo in terms of combating extremism in Kosovo and were offered specific recommendations in order to address the phenomenon of extremism / radicalism in Kosovo. The report is based on dozens of interviews with all relevant stakeholders, state institutions, religious, including dozens of field visits to the persons directly involved in the conflict and their families, as well as various literature on the issue of extremism and other statistical information.
- Topic:
- Violent Extremism, Citizenship, Institutions, and Foreign Fighters
- Political Geography:
- Iraq, Europe, Kosovo, Balkans, and Syria