Top 5 countries where ISIS recruits from

Even though ISIS has suffered huge losses in Syria and Iraq, their ability to carry out and inspire lone wolf attacks can not be overlooked.

According to a 2016 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, here are the top five countries where foreign ISIS fighters originate from:



Tunisia

The main reason behind 6,000 Tunisians leaving home to join the ranks of ISIS is Tunisia’s new found enthusiasm for secular democracy which is not shared by everyone. The 2015 beach shooting that left 38 dead was carried out by a Tunisian man inspired by ISIS social media.

Saudi Arabia

The kingdom considers itself the heart of Islam and is an active promoter of Salafist ideologies. Despite having become a terrorist target itself, the kingdom constitutes the second-largest source of ISIS fighters. Roughly 2,500 Saudis have joined the group. In May 2015, an ISIS bombing killed 21 people, and was followed by a triple suicide bombing attack across three cities in July 2016.

Russia

They are considered the core stem of ISIS beyond the Middle East. Two weeks ago there was a bomb blast at St Petersberg subway that took 14 lives. Russian state media suggested ISIS links.

ISIS have been successful in recruiting from North Caucasus including from migrant communities within major cities. Dzhalilov, the 22-year-old Russian national behind the St Petersberg bombing, may have come from there. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, between 5,000 and 7,000 people from Russia and former soviet republics have travelled to Syria to take up arms for ISIS.

Turkey

Kurdish fighters have spent decades fighting the Turkish government for independence and some have even resorted to terrorism. More than 40,000 people have lost their lives due to clashes between Turks and Kurds. But the Kurds in Syria have been fighting ISIS and the fact that enemy of ISIS is even the enemy of Turks is a conundrum.

Roughly 2,100 Turks have travelled to Iraq and Syria to join the ranks of ISIS.



Jordan

The top source for rounding up ISIS fighters is Jordan, from where nearly 2000 people joined ISIS over the past few years. Jordan is known as the “Kingdom of Peace” because terrorist attacks are quite rare. But this peace was broken in December 2016 when ISIS terrorists attacked Karak Castle, which is a popular tourist destination. 10 people were killed and 34 were injured. This was the first terrorist attack on a civilian target in Jordan in more than a decade.