Civil Society’s Role in Rehabilitation and Reintegration Related to Violent Extremism

[Deeq A.]

As the United Nations and member states undertake the sixth review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy this week, one of the many critical questions related to recovering from the effects of violent extremism and terrorism is: what is to be done with offenders when they return to local communities? In Iraq and Syria, for example, an estimated 40,000 foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) from over 110 countries joined the so-called Islamic State in the years it was active, and now about 5,600 from 33 countries have returned home, with many more to follow and others who will relocate elsewhere. Additionally, groups like Boko Haram in Nigeria and al-Shabaab in Somalia have attracted their share of fighters, both locally and regionally.

Source: Hiiraan Online