The French Fighters who were fighting in Syria
In a video that recently went viral on social media, a group of militants were seen roaming the outskirts of Hama in an armored personnel carrier, after the fall of the Syrian president.
The fighters are believed to be part of a French group known as the Group of Strangers; a battalion of foreign fighters allied with the factions that overthrew the Assad regime.
These French fighters survived the fall of ISIS and the Syrian civil war, and have since been stationed in Idlib, a stronghold of Hay’at Tahrir al Sham.
These French fighters follow the orders of Hay’at Tahrir al Sham, as they were among who entered the city of Hama.
In the video, one of the fighters speaks clearly in French, saying, “We have taken control of the city of Hama… God is great”.
In the background, celebrations are seen among local residents, including in a Christian neighborhood where a church is visible in the video, and a voice is heard saying, “Even the Christians are happy”.
The French fighters were well received by the population, and no violations against civilians were recorded, reflecting the discipline of Hay’at Tahrir al Sham.
Although the presence of French fighters in Syria isn’t new, questions persist about their numbers and affiliations.
In 2015, the number of French nationals recruited into jihadist networks in Syria and Iraq was estimated at around 1,880, while some experts believe the current number of French fighters in Idlib is around 100.
The French anti-terrorism prosecutor, Olivier Christin, indicated that around 50 of these fighters belong to the Omar Omsen Brigade, while around 30 of them belong to HTS.
Omar Omsen, also known as Omar Diaby, is a Senegalese jihadist from the French city of Nice, who previously fought with HTS, but is reported to have been brought under the control of the regime in Damascus.
Some reports put the number of French fighters in the region at between 110 and 120, divided between different factions.
Many of them participated in the attacks that led to the fall of the Assad regime, while some joined HTS forces, and others joined the Omar Omsen’s faction, which arrived in Syria in 2013.
