Chinese Uyghur Nationals Travel Long Way to Join Terrorist Groups in Syria
Recent intelligence reports said that thousands of Chinese terrorists are fighting in the ranks of terrorist groups in Syria. China is very concerned about their return and their influence on the security of its citizens and its worldwide interests, which is why they have recently increased their involvement in Syria, and have pushed to strengthen their ties with the Syrian government.
The Chinese who fight in Syria are members of the Uyghur minority, a Sunni minority that speaks in a Turkish dialect and mainly resides in the Northwestern province of Xinjiang.
President Assad has said that Syrian and Chinese intelligence officials are working together to fight the Uyghurs in Syria, who entered through Turkey—and accused Turkey of the crisis.
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China is ready to cooperate with relevant parties, including Syria, to combat the cross-border activities of the Uyghurs.
The Chinese have made great efforts to put a stop to the illegal departure of Uyghurs from the country, but despite the blocking of the shortest route through Pakistan, tens of thousands of Uyghurs have fled through the Southern border and crossed a winding route to reach Turkey, and thousands have opened their way into Syria.
