By Mohammad Noman Baber

As tensions in the Middle East escalate and the region’s proxy wars intensify, the Syrian conflict has once again flared up. What once seemed like a frozen conflict after the ceasefire under the Astana process between Russia, Iran, and Turkey has reemerged, driven by changing global and regional power dynamics. The war, which began in 2011, reached a tentative pause after key territorial gains and losses, including the recapture of Aleppo by the Assad regime. However, with the attacks from anti-regime rebel groups such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the possibility of full-scale civil war threatens once again, complicating an already volatile situation. In this chaotic environment, the involvement of Afghan fighters on both sides has become a disturbing aspect of the war. This raises significant concerns about the role of Afghans in these proxy wars. With Afghanistan already grappling with its ongoing instability, begs the question: why are Afghans being drawn into these proxy wars, and what are the implications for Afghanistan's already fragile security? 

Syria’s political history has been stained by a series of violent conflicts, political instability, and coups. After its establishment in 1946, the country went through nearly two decades of political unrest, marked by a series of coups. The rise of Hafez al-Assad in the 1970s, who took power through a military coup, brought some stability through authoritarianism, which continued under his son, Bashar al-Assad, who succeeded him in 2000. The Syrian civil war, now reaching its 14th year, has evolved into one of the most complex conflicts in the region, with both regional and global powers deeply involved. 

The conflict began when widespread protests erupted as part of the Arab Spring, with Syrian citizens demanding political reforms and the end of Assad’s authoritarian regime. When the regime responded with brutal crackdowns, the protest quickly escalated into a full-fledged civil war. Since then, the war has evolved into a proxy battleground where multiple actors, both regional and global, pursue competing interests. Iran and Russia have provided crucial military support to the Assad regime, seeing Syria as a key ally in maintaining their strategic influence in the region. Meanwhile, Turkey has supported various opposition groups, particularly to prevent Kurdish autonomy, while also managing its internal political objectives. The United States initially aligned with the anti-regime groups but later shifted its focus to combating ISIS, complicating the conflict further. 

This ongoing conflict has become a chaotic mix of military interventions, shifted alliances, and deeply entrenched local and global interests. While regional powers like Iran, Turkey, and Russia continue to exert their influence, the role of external actors, including the U.S. and others, has kept Syria in a perpetual state of instability. The involvement of Afghans, either supporting the Assad regime or opposing it, reflects how regional conflicts, such as Syria’s, are increasingly dragging in individuals from outside, often for reasons beyond their control.

The presence of Afghan fighters on both sides of the Syrian conflict is a deeply troubling and increasingly controversial issue. Recently videos have gone viral showing Afghan fighters holding the Taliban flag within the ranks of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group once affiliated with al-Qaeda known as Jabhat al-Nusra. While HTS has attempted to rebrand itself as a more moderate force under its leader, al-Jolani, the group’s violent extremism remains evident. The troubling reality is that Afghan fighters are being pulled into these proxy wars, often under the name of ideological coercion or promises of compensation, while their national interests are sidelined. 

On the other side of the conflict, Afghan refugees in Iran have been recruited by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to join the Fatemiyoun and Zainabiyoun groups, paramilitary forces aligned with the Islamic Republic. These fighters were persuaded by promises of salaries, permanent residency, and to defend Shiite shrines, while being used as expendable soldiers on the front lines, particularly against ISIS. With the evolving dynamics of the war, particularly as the Islamic Republic’s influence fades due to ongoing tensions with Israel and Hezbollah's diminished capacity after losing senior leadership, the role of Afghan fighters in these groups could become even more critical. However, this only reinforces the troubling pattern of Afghans being exploited as pawns in a larger geopolitical struggle that does not align with their national priorities. 

The involvement of Afghan fighters in these proxy wars has far-reaching implications for Afghanistan’s already fragile security environment. Afghanistan, already battered by decades of conflict, has also witnessed the emergence of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), which has targeted the Shiite minority with bombings and attacks on mosques and educational institutions. While the reasons behind ISIS-K’s rise are multifaceted, Experts believe that the participation of Afghans (Fatemiyoun) in these proxy wars especially in Syria has undeniably contributed to and paved the way for the increased activity of ISIS-K in Afghanistan. 

Afghanistan cannot afford to become a battleground for foreign interests. The idea of Afghan fighters being used as tools in proxy wars in Syria and beyond is not only tragic but also deeply harmful to the national security of Afghanistan. These proxy wars, often fueled by external powers with competing agendas, exploit vulnerable Afghan refugees, pulling them into ideological battles that have nothing to do with their homeland’s interests. This involvement only deepens Afghanistan’s vulnerability to external influences and destabilizes the country further. 

Afghans must recognize the danger of being used as pawns in a broader ideological and geopolitical conflict. Their participation in these proxy wars, whether as part of the Fatemiyoun or HTS or any other rebel groups, undermines Afghanistan’s national sovereignty and security. The cycle of violence and instability in Afghanistan has been perpetuated by external powers seeking to further their agendas.  Afghans must acknowledge that their greatest battle lies within their borders, not in foreign proxy wars that exploit their vulnerabilities and serve external agendas. The most pressing need for Afghanistan today is social resistance against the Taliban's oppressive gender-based policies, which dehumanize women and strip them of their basic human rights. This regime's systematic exclusion of women from education, work, and public life is an affront to the dignity of half the population and a barrier to Afghanistan’s progress as a nation.  It is time for Afghans to channel their efforts into fostering awareness and unity against these injustices. Instead of being drawn into ideological  proxy wars that only deepen instability, Afghanistan needs a unified, grassroots push toward social reform, emphasizing that the liberation of Afghan women is essential to being a pawn in the regional proxy wars.  

Mohammad Noman Baber is a member of the Executive Committee at the York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR) and a DARE Fellow with the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies at York University. His research focuses on international security and the issue of statelessness in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

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The article does not reflect the official opinion of the AISS.