The Balkan Jihad: Recruitment to Violent Extremism and Issues Facing Returning Foreign Fighters in Kosovo and Southern Serbia

Abstract:The participation of predominantly young, Balkan Muslims in the Syrian and the Iraq conflict has become a dangerous trend. Equally alarming is the fact that many youth in the region continue to separate themselves from the mainstream religious community and move to supporting conservative Islamic ideas that cater to jihadist narratives. Drawing from the authors' recent fieldwork in the Balkans, this article addresses the issues of radicalization leading to violence and suggests ways to strengthen current counter radicalization and reintegration policies, including improving the community's resistance in Kosovo and the Southern Serbian Sandjak region. The authors highlight that while "hard" power measures that focus on intelligence activities and attacking extremist ideologies are important, other counterterrorism programs that address prevention, intervention, rehabilitation, and reintegration of those already on the extremist trajectory must also be considered.