Fighting beyond borders : unravelling the complex drivers of Syrian fighters in foreign conflicts

Aldoughli, Rahaf (2025) Fighting beyond borders : unravelling the complex drivers of Syrian fighters in foreign conflicts. Critical Military Studies.

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Abstract

While research on the involvement of private military or mercenary companies in armed conflicts focuses primarily on their role as an alternative model for international security or on how they accentuate exploitation for pursuit of certain national interests, little research has approached this phenomenon by empirically singling out individuals’ motivations to join foreign conflicts. This article investigates the motivations behind Syrian fighters’ participation in conflicts beyond their national borders, specifically focusing on their involvement in Libya and Niger. It delves into the personal accounts of 15 Syrian fighters from opposition factions in northern Syria, supported by Turkey, to understand the complex reasons propelling them into foreign battlefields. I ground this study in a theoretical discussion of the reciprocal simultaneity of perceived ‘gain’ and ‘despair’. Drawing from theories by Collier, Hoeffler, and Gurr, I argue that exploring the intersection of personal motivation and broader socio-political influences expands scholarly understanding of variations among those who are recruited to join foreign conflicts.