EVENTS

June 17, 2021

The Repatriation Imperative: Why Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters and Family Members Matters

On June 17, 2021, Senior Research Fellow Colin P. Clarke participated in a live panel discussion hosted by the Alliance for Peacebuilding. The event, titled, “The Repatriation Imperative: Why Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters and Family Members Matter,” explored the complexities surrounding foreign fighter repatriation and discussed recommendations for the international community to consider moving forward. Dr. Clarke noted the perils of current nations’ approaches to repatriation, calling the general reluctance to return citizens to their countries of origin “a policy of kicking the can down the road,” concluding that “the risks of inaction far outweigh the risks of repatriation.” He suggested that appropriately tailored reintegration and rehabilitation policies are long-term solutions that avoid “creating groups of stateless people” that will “mobilize the next conflict.” Additional panelists included: Leanne Erdberg Steadman, Director of Countering Violent Extremism, U.S. Institute of Peace; Alba Sotorra, Filmmaker and Director of “The Return: Life After ISIS”; and Jesse Morton, Founder and Executive Director of Parallel Networks. The panel was introduced and moderated by Megan Corrado, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Alliance for Peacebuilding.