Militants use deaths of foreign fighters in Syria as recruiting tool Abu Akhmad Tajiki and another Tajik were reportedly killed in Syria recently, and Tajiks are criticising the militants for using such deaths to project an image that their cause has international support. By Nadin Bahrom DUSHANBE – Militants in Syria are trying to use the deaths of foreign fighters as evidence that their cause has broad support, complicating other countries efforts to keep their citizens from getting involved in a non-legitimate war. Insurgents in Syria have posted videos and propagandised the recent deaths of Tajiks, and Tajiks are concerned that such campaigns could mislead more foreign fighters to join the fight in Syria. Young men suffering hardships in Tajikistan are vulnerable to militant promises of a better life, religious scholar Faridun Khodizoda said. And they find playing war to be interesting, he said. Last year, the Syrian grand mufti estimated that more than 190 Tajiks were fighting in Syria. What the young men dont realise, Khodizoda said, is that dying as part of an immoral cause would not lead to the glory the militants promise. Syrian wars casualties include Tajiks Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries have been working to keep their citizens from falling prey to the militants false promises, but the militants propaganda message is complicating these efforts. The Syrian rebels have been posting videos and messages online that play up the involvement of foreigners in their war. In April, a three-minute video appeared on YouTube where five Tajiks, purportedly militants in Syria, burned their Tajik passports. In March, a jihadist website reported the death of a militant who had taken the name Abu Akhmad Tajiki. The number of Tajiks killed in combat might be greater than reported, some suggest. Were giving out information only on those whose bodies were repatriated, Tojiddin Asomiddinov, deputy chairman of the governments Committee for Religious Affairs and Reconciliation of Traditions and Customs, said. The militants strategy is causing heartache among Tajiks, not only because their relatives might be dying unnecessarily, but also because it is difficult to verify information about their situation. In Kulyab, Tajikis family knew the young man as Bakhtiyor Sherov. He was an only son and his familys sole breadwinner, and his mother, Khosiyat Sherova, is not convinced that her son is dead. When he makes some money, he will definitely come back, she said. Misguided religious messages to attract fighters Tajiki is not the only Tajik reported to have died in Syria. Masrur Ibrokhimov also died fighting in Syria in March, AsiaPlus.tj reported April 24, citing Tajik state TV. And last year, Tajik intelligence reported that three Tajiks had been killed since the start of the war in 2011. No one knows exactly how the men are getting into Syria, but leaving Tajikistan on the premise of finding work abroad seems to be one avenue. Tajiki and Ibrokhimov, for example, both left Tajikistan in search of economic opportunity in 2013. Once they are abroad, they seem to become more susceptible to the militants messages, because they are separated from their support network, some theorise. Recruiters are using a misguided sense of religious duty to drive some Tajiks to join the war, Mukhiddin Kabiri, leader of the Islamic Renaissance Party and an MP, said. Militant recruiters can operate more freely in migrants workplace countries than in Tajikistan, which bans extremist organisations, independent analyst Firuz Saidov said. They promise them big money, both to fight and to support their families if they die, he said. But 80% to 90% of the time, if theyre killed, the recruiters dont keep their promise to aid the fighters families. Men ages 20 to 22 are often receptive to the recruiters message, he said. His answer for those who seek his advice about Syria is pretty straightforward. I immediately ... explain to them the notion of true Islam, he said. Countering the militants message The Syrian situation is tragic, but its a matter for Syrians, not for Central Asians or other foreigners, Jamoliddin Khomushov, the head of the Fatwa Department of the Islamic Centre of Tajikistan, said. He spoke of what families stand to lose if a Tajik dies on a foreign battlefield. Someone is always waiting [at home], he said. Parents, family ... It would be better to return to Tajikistan and take care of your family. Authorities and clerics need to explain true Islam to the public, he said. Maintaining constant contact with young Tajiks is key, Kabiri said. The modest work we do in meeting monthly with young people will help. Meanwhile, Central Asian governments are trying to set the example against fighting in Syria by punishing those who get caught. Last December, Tajikistans Supreme Court sentenced five Tajiks to two years in jail because they joined the fight. Kazakhstan also sentenced four men from Ekibastuz to prison for fighting in Syria.
Posted on: Thu, 01 May 2014 21:41:42 +0000
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