Nearly 160 Spaniards Fight on Islamist Militants’ Side in Syria

Most of the Spaniards who have traveled to Syria are known to have joined the ranks of the Daesh jihadist group, while a minority has joined the al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, according to local media.

MADRID (Sputnik) – Around 160 Spaniards are fighting alongside Islamist militants in Syria, as the number of foreign recruits from Spain has continued to grow over the past three years, Spanish media reported Tuesday.

The number of jihadists from Spain fighting in the Middle Eastern country was 95 in 2013, 100 the following year and 139 as of late 2015, according to the Spanish daily ABC. These approximate figures include Spanish citizens as well as foreign passport holders who have Spanish residence permits.

The newspaper estimates that the contingent of Spanish fighters in Syria has increased by about 20 recruits in the last few months.

Around 25 of the fighters are thought to have returned to Spain, 15 of whom are in prison. An unknown number of fighters are believed to have died either in battle or on suicide missions.

Most of the Spaniards who have traveled to Syria are known to have joined the ranks of the Daesh jihadist group, while a minority has joined the al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, groups outlawed in many countries including Russia.

Spain ranks eighth among EU member states in terms of the number of its citizens fighting alongside jihadist groups.