Foreign fighters and others who traveled to Syria during the civil war are now pleading to the newly formed Islamist led government for citizenship, claiming they deserve it after helping rebels seize power and remove former leader Bashar al-Assad.
The question of what to do with these foreign fighters has remained a pressing issue since Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) assumed control. Many nations are not ready to accept back individuals they often view as extremists, while some Syrians remain uneasy about their continued presence.
A large number of these fighters, along with their families, and others such as aid workers and journalists who joined the rebellion, now find themselves without valid documents. Some have been stripped of their original nationality and fear long prison terms or even execution if they return to their home countries as supposed citizens.
