Kosovo police have identified 316 Kosovars among the two suicide bombers, 44 women and 28 children, who have traveled abroad to join ISIS, al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham.
This was stated in the presentation of the assessment report of community-level radicalization perceptions in Kosovo, which was prepared with the technical support of the United Nations Development Program, Koha Ditore reports.
UNDP Kosovo Representative Alessandra Roccasalvo said that the integration into society of those who return to Kosovo after leaving for radical actions purposes it’s an important issue.
“Regarding reintegration, this for UNDP and for Kosovo is an important thing. You can prevent escape, do social work, make public advocacy.
But what do you do with the people who come back? In this study, 63% of respondents say they would be in danger and unsafe and would hesitate to socialize. So these are the cases that we have seen in Kosovo. When people return to Kosovo they try to socialize but no one wants their presence,” she said.
The UNDP representative said that youth education is of paramount importance.
This research aims to assess the perceptions of community-wide radicalization across Kosovo, the perceived role of individuals, institutions, leaders, as well as the perceived role of media and internet influence.
This disturbing phenomenon was also raised at yesterday’s session of the US Congress by Senior State Department Officer Hoyt Brian Yee, who just returned from a visit he made in the Balkans.
