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ISIS Recruits (Official)

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ISIS Recruits by Country 2024

ISIS is one of the most dangerous terrorist groups in the world. It has led a number of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and at one time, it was on the road to retaking Iraq. Even though ISIS has since been significantly bruised and battered by countries all over the world, it continues to have a significant number of recruits. It is widely believed that Iraq and Afghanistan contribute a significant number of soldiers to the ranks of this terrorist organization, but it is a country that has a lot of foreign fighters as well. It is widely believed that Russia contributes the most foreign fighters to ISIS, with an estimated 5,000 terrorists in ISIS coming from Russia.

What Other Countries Contribute Soldiers To ISIS?

Even though a significant number of fighters come from the Middle East, there are lots of other countries that contribute fighters to ISIS as well. In addition to Russia, it is believed that Tunisia has a very large number of foreign fighters contributing to ISIS. Estimates believe that Tunisia has contributed approximately 4,000 people to the ranks of ISIS. Jordan is another country that has contributed a lot of fighters to ISIS. Estimates say that Jordan has contributed approximately 3,950 soldiers. Finally, Saudi Arabia has also contributed a lot of fighters to ISIS. The estimate is that approximately 3,244 soldiers in ISIS have come from Saudi Arabia.

Does the Western World Have Any Fighters in the Ranks of ISIS?

Yes, the Western World also has a lot of fighters who have decided to join the ranks of ISIS. Among NATO countries, It is believed that Turkey and France have contributed the most soldiers to ISIS. Turkey is relatively close to a lot of Middle Eastern countries, so there are a lot of people who have left Turkey to join ISIS. It has been estimated that approximately 3,000 people from Turkey have joined the ranks of ISIS. Surprisingly, France has also contributed a lot of soldiers to ISIS. It is believed that approximately 1,910 soldiers in ISIS have come from France. A lot of Western countries are working very hard to prevent people from being radicalized and joining terrorist organizations.

Does the United States Ever Have People Join ISIS?

Yes, there are some situations where someone in the United States may decide to join this terrorist group, but it is exceptionally rare. There are not a lot of people who decide to leave the United States to join this terrorist organization. There is a significant amount of surveillance that takes place in the United States, and if it is believed that someone is being radicalized, the authorities will intervene and stop that person from leaving. Even though it is very difficult to determine exactly how many people have decided to leave the United States and joined ISIS, the number is believed to be very small. Steps are being taken to prevent people from being radicalized.

  • Totals displayed are based upon studies from 2014 and 2015. However, many countries either don’t know or decline to disclose the number of citizens who left to become ISIS recruits.
  • Countries marked 'unknown' are known to have been home to ISIS/ISIL recruits, but neither official nor unofficial numbers are available.
  • Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Islamic State (IS), and Daesh/Da'ish are all names for the same organization.
  • ISIL reached its greatest prominence in 2015, when it controlled significant portions of Iraq and Syria and totaled approximately 30,000 troops. However, the organization had lost its territory and largely returned to a shadowy insurgency by late 2019.

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What countries does ISIS recruit from?

ISIS recruits from countries all over the world. Russia is believed to be the country with the most recruits, however. ISIS also recruits from Tunisia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, France, and even the US.

Frequently Asked Questions