Syrian security forces engaged in clashes yesterday with French militants led by Senegalese-French national Omar Diaby, also known as Omar Omsan. This confrontation occurred after security personnel surrounded their camp in northwestern Syria and accused their leader of refusing to surrender in connection with the abduction of a girl. This marks the first time the transitional authority has openly confronted foreign fighters since its establishment in Damascus. The fighting erupted late Tuesday into Wednesday night, following the initiation of a “broad operation” targeting the Harem camp, intended to detain French nationals wanted by their government.
The internal security forces issued a statement accusing Diaby (50 years old) of leading an “illegally armed group” responsible for “kidnapping a girl from her mother.” Colonel Ghassan Bakir, the head of internal security in the Idlib province, noted that there had been attempts to negotiate with Diaby for his voluntary surrender to the authorities; however, he refused and barricaded himself within the camp.
The issue of foreign fighters who have flocked to Syria throughout the civil war remains contentious, as most of their home countries refuse to accept them back. Additionally, Transitional President Ahmad al-Shara finds himself unable to abandon these fighters, who have battled the regime of Bashar al-Assad for years.
Similar to thousands of foreign combatants, the French fighters led by Diaby have settled in Idlib province, which has long served as a stronghold for Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, led by al-Shara, and spearheaded the offensive that ousted the previous regime. These factions have fought alongside each other against Assad’s authority.
Prior to his involvement in Syria, Diaby, who had previous convictions, worked in a restaurant in Nice, southeastern France, before moving to Syria in 2013, where he commanded a group comprised mainly of young French nationals from the Nice area.
According to Bakir, urgent measures have been taken to ensure civilian safety following heightened tensions in the Al-Firdan camp due to ongoing violations against the local residents, as reported by local news outlets.