CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VI (1) Contemporary-Eurasia-VI-1-engl | Page 91

CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VI (1)
I NESSA A RZUMANYAN
ISIS RECRUITMENT FROM THE SOUTH CAUCASUS: THE
CASE OF GEORGIA
Abstract
The Islamic State of Iraq and Levant is the most discussed terrorist
organization of our days and has reached new levels recently. With the
evolution of the organization many foreign fighters have been attracted to
join the ranks of ISIS. This research concentrates on the case of
recruitment of new fighters from Georgia and tries to give answers to
how and why some Georgian citizens from some regions are becoming
part of the Islamic State. The sources covered have showed that the
recruitment processes taking place in the region of Pankisi Gorge carry
both online and face-to-face characters. The population of the Pankisi
Gorge is an easy target for the ISIS; Chechen fighters, Kists (Muslim
Georgians) and young men from poor families are included in the
targeted population of the IS. The analyses made show that there are both
religious and socio-economic reasons for the Georgian citizens from this
region to decide in favor of joining ISIS: feeling vulnerable as religious
minorities under Orthodox church, eliminations of justice, earning money
and becoming a hero. Considering the importance of the issue of
terrorism, the research also includes a section on how the Georgian
government deals with the external and internal threats of terrorism.
Keywords: Georgia, terrorism, ISIS, recruitment, Pankisi Gorge.
Introduction
Terrorism has reached new levels since the eruption of Syrian war
in 2011. This event led to the development of a new terrorist
organization – the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (Syria)
(ISIS/ISIL), or Daesh (‫ش‬ ‫)داع‬
in Arabic, fighters of which have been
carrying out terrorist attacks all over the world. The organization is
actively popularizing the ideas of the recreation of the Caliphate. With
these ideas of propaganda, the Islamic State started its recruitment
process from around the world.
Taking into consideration how rapid the ISIS has been developing
in its numbers, the importance of studying such a topic is indisputable
in today’s reality. Since the ranks of ISIS have been covering even
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