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How did Uyghurs become the largest contingent of foreign fighters in Syria?
Posted
May 21, 2026
Views
4,558
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696
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13
Engagement
15.56%
May 21, 2026
4,558
696
13
15.56%
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2:27Now PlayingHow did Uyghurs, an ethnic minority long-persecuted in China, eventually become the largest contingent of foreign fighters in Syria?
In the rebel-held north, they rapidly established themselves as highly-disciplined and brutally effective fighters who could take on tasks other rebel groups failed to accomplish. Their role in critical battles in the country’s nearly 14-year long civil war helped Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria’s current leader, cement enough power to eventually push out the Assad regime.
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