Eurasia Press & News
Amid an official announcement that French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to visit Damascus, the file of French jihadists in Syria has returned to the forefront after Agence France-Presse published a detailed report on the situation of those who remain in the country, their relationship with Syria’s new authorities, and the level of coordination with Paris over the issue.
The timing of the report, alongside the announcement of the expected visit, raises questions about whether the file of French fighters will be on the agenda of anticipated meetings between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Macron, particularly given the issue’s links to counterterrorism, security cooperation, and efforts to rebuild relations between Damascus and Western countries.
Damascus and Paris, Jihadists Return to the Forefront
The Media Directorate at the Syrian Presidency announced Sunday that French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to visit Syria to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations and address issues of mutual interest.
The directorate added that Macron will be accompanied by a delegation that includes investors and representatives of French companies, and that he will meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and several officials.
The announcement coincided with a report by Agence France-Presse on the situation of the last French jihadists in Syria. The report noted that Paris and the Syrian authorities are keeping them under close watch. It said the Syrian government is working to contain these groups and integrate some of their members into official institutions as part of efforts to present a more acceptable image to the international community.
Although neither side has officially announced the agenda of the visit, the timing of the AFP report and the announcement of the visit raises questions about whether the file of French jihadists will be among the security issues discussed by Damascus and Paris, especially as it has remained one of the most prominent files of dispute and coordination between the two sides in recent years.
Only a Few Dozen
According to Agence France-Presse, the number of French jihadists in Syria no longer exceeds a few dozen men, women, and children, more than a decade after thousands of foreign fighters entered the country following the outbreak of the Syrian conflict.
The report said they are currently divided into three main groups.
The first is Firqat al-Ghuraba, led by Omar Diaby, known as Omar Omsen, and based in a camp near the city of Harem in northern Idlib (northwestern Syria).
The second group includes former fighters who have been integrated into the security and military agencies affiliated with Syria’s new government, while the third includes women, children, and former members of the Islamic State who had been held in camps run by the Autonomous Administration before being transferred to the authority of Damascus.
The report explained that about 20 former French fighters were attached to the 82nd Brigade, which includes foreign fighters, alongside the 84th Brigade.
AFP quoted Marc Hecker, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations, as saying that these are “a handful of French nationals formerly linked to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,” who were integrated into Syrian state agencies in secondary and low-profile positions.
Hecker also pointed to the presence of other individuals who remain out of sight and may be linked to the Islamic State or other groups.
Tensions With Firqat al-Ghuraba
By contrast, the report pointed to continuing tension between the Syrian authorities and Firqat al-Ghuraba, whose members are estimated to number between several dozen and about 100 men, in addition to women and children.
According to Agence France-Presse, the Syrian authorities believe that the presence of some foreign fighters who refuse integration or adopt positions more hardline than those of the government represents a security and political challenge.
Ido Levy, a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the presence of these groups “poses a problem for al-Sharaa,” because some of their members reject the idea of integration or adopt more extremist positions.
Marc Hecker said the Syrian government has sought, since coming to power, to send “goodwill gestures” to Western states by stressing that it will not allow foreign fighters on Syrian territory to plan external operations.
AFP also quoted a French security source as describing cooperation between Damascus and Western countries in combating jihadists as “generally good.”
The report added that Syrian authorities have arrested several foreigners in recent months, including Egyptian national Ahmed al-Mansour, after he published videos containing threats against Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Media Activity and French Warnings
Researcher Laurence Bindner, co-founder of a platform specialized in monitoring extremist propaganda online, said Omar Omsen remains active and that his group continues to publish media material in Arabic and French, including criticism of France and accusations that it stood behind security operations targeting the group.
Omsen’s supporters have expressed hostile positions toward the Syrian government on Telegram, accusing it of responding to French pressure, without going as far as calling for taking up arms against it.
Bindner also pointed to escalating disputes on social media between Omsen’s supporters and opponents.
A File That May Impose Itself
This media and security activity comes as Paris and Damascus prepare to hold high-level meetings amid multiple political, economic, and security files.
Although no official announcement has been made that the file of French jihadists has been included on the agenda of the talks, the nature of the AFP report, published alongside the announcement of Macron’s visit, raises questions about whether the issue will be present in the discussions. This is especially relevant given the continued security cooperation between the two sides, the Syrian government’s effort to show its commitment to combating extremist organizations, and France’s continued interest in monitoring the situation of its citizens who previously joined jihadist groups in Syria.
Developments at the End of 2025
On October 22, 2025, the Firqat al-Ghuraba camp near the city of Harem in rural Idlib witnessed clashes between Syrian Internal Security Forces and members of the group led by Omar Omsen, after a security campaign that the Interior Ministry said aimed to arrest him in response to complaints related to violations and the kidnapping of a girl.
Omsen denied the accusations and accused French intelligence of coordinating with Syrian security agencies to prepare the operation. He said the file of French fighters had been present in contacts between Paris and Damascus, making those events one of the most prominent stations in the relationship between the Syrian authorities and French jihadists over the past year.
