The number of German citizens who traveled to Syria and Iraq to join the so-called Islamic State (IS) group has been substantial, with current data indicating involvement of approximately 1,150 individuals since 2011. According to a response from the German Foreign Ministry to a query from Left Party parliamentarian Cansu Özdemir, 472 of these individuals have returned to Germany.
The Foreign Ministry’s figures highlight that some returnees have made multiple trips back to the conflict zones, resulting in their names appearing multiple times in official records. The government holds information regarding roughly 1,150 German nationals believed to have traveled to Syria or Iraq and potentially remained in those regions.
Özdemir emphasized the continued presence of hundreds of individuals with jihadist backgrounds in Syria and Iraq, underscoring the need for ongoing vigilance regarding the situation. Concerns have been raised about the potential normalization of relationships with Islamist-led governments, particularly in Syria.
Government assessments suggest that approximately 65 percent of the individuals who traveled abroad participated in combat activities. Many, along with their families, were subsequently captured by Kurdish forces. A protracted debate ensued regarding the repatriation of these individuals from internment camps.
Since 2019, the German government has repatriated 28 German women and their children from Northeast Syria via consular assistance, including 74 minors and one adolescent. Furthermore, eleven unaccompanied minors, encompassing half-orphans and full-orphans of deceased IS supporters, have been brought back. The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) coordinated the return of twelve women and 25 children, comprising individuals deported from Turkey or Iraq and those who voluntarily returned.
Law enforcement and domestic intelligence agencies are actively monitoring returnees, which includes offering participation in deradicalization programs as part of a comprehensive approach.