Can Former Foreign Fighters Be Reintegrated into Society?

The Center for Progressive Reforms is pleased to announce the inaugural launch of its English-language podcast, CPR Version. In this episode, our resident fellows Aloudding Komilov and Otabek Akromov engage in a discussion on the repatriation and reintegration of foreign fighters in Central Asia, featuring guest speaker Odil Gafarov, who is a distinguished expert with extensive experience addressing issues related to radicalization and terrorism.

The conversation covers a range of topics, including the root causes of terrorism, the various types of jihadist groups, and the processes involved in integrating former foreign fighters and their families back into society.

00:00 Teaser
01:08 Introduction
05:16 Why Are Central Asians in the Middle East as Foreign Fighters?
08:38 The UN's Call for the International Community to Repatriate Citizens from War Zones
10:13 Reintegrating Individuals from War Zones as a National Security Issue
12:05 The Taliban's Evolution into a Nationalistic and Political Movement
14:11 Motivations Behind Individuals Fighting for Various Terrorist Organizations
18:32 Personal Insecurities and Injustice
19:21 Propaganda, Manipulation, and Recruitment Tactics
21:14 Radicalization within Religious Communities
23:28 Unique Recruitment Strategies Among States
26:41 The Claim of ISIS as a State
29:31 Foreign Fighters with Central Asian Roots
34:30 The Islamic Movement of Turkestan
36:15 The Evolution of Terrorist Organizations and Their Traditions
37:58 Disillusionment Upon Returning Home
42:16 Measures for Reintegration
47:11 Additional Measures for Reintegration