The resulting dataset compiled for the purposes of this study contains information on 211 ethnic Albanian men who have either fought in Syria and/or Iraq at some point between 2012 and 2015 or have been arrested and are being investigated for recruiting fighters or attempting to join terrorist groups. Watch Queue Queue. [41], Not surprisingly, due to a tradition of close-knit families among ethnic Albanians, a third cluster of fighters is connected to each other mainly through kinship ties. [14] Nikoleta Kovaci, “Lufta Në Siri, Zbulohet Celula Terroriste Në Tiranë” (War in Syria: Terrorist Cell Identified in Tirana, Shekulli Mobile, February 1, 2014 . [1] For the most part these fighters are the product of a well-integrated regional network of extremist entities painstakingly expanded across the region over the past two decades. in Foreign Service with a concentration in International Relations and Security from Georgetown University, and consults for think tanks and academic institutions on issues of radicalization and violent extremism. ︎ 85. The most promising students were enrolled in 30 Koranic schools sponsored by the Islamic Endowment Foundation, an SJRC entity. [40] Albanian authorities reportedly possess strong evidence that a ring operated by two imams in the suburbs of Tirana is responsible for recruiting 70 fighters. No Tapology member predictions were made for this event. Zekthi vs. Tolbert at Shamrock FC 329 (cancelled) on Tapology. The development of an extensive religious infrastructure required a significant increase in the number of qualified clerics. Albania repatriating 5 family members of fighters in Syria. No need to be fancy, just an overview. The founder and President of the Albanian Mixed Martial Arts Federation, Arjan Rizaj, has published a book called ‘Mixed Martial Arts Inside the Cage’. [17] “Intervistë me Skender Hysenin, Ministrër i Brendshëm i Kosovës” (Interview with Skender Hyseni, Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs). [19] Daniel H. Heinke, and Jan Raudszus, “German Foreign Fighters in Syria and Iraq, Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.” Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, NY. Claim your page. UFC Albania. Of the 152 ethnic Albanian foreign fighters identified by name or by pseudonym in the media, the data set contains demographic data for 88 fighters. [27] “Kosovo Human Development Report 2012: Private Sector and Employment,” UNDP November 2012 . Albanian GC 6; Leaderboard; Completed MMA Event Albanian GC 6. Nationality Albania Division HEAVYWEIGHT Birthday July 28, 1983 Age 37. At least ten of the fighters identified in the dataset belong to the ethnic Albanian diaspora in Western Europe and possibly had dual nationality, specifically five originating from Macedonia, and five originating from Kosovo. Ilir Latifi is a Swedish mixed martial artist of Albanian descent who competes in the Heavyweight division of the UFC. Over the past two decades, mixed martial arts events have begun filling arenas and attracting millions of TV viewers and considerable advertising dollars. This is in line with a similar trend observed among fighters from other countries such as France and the United Kingdom.[42]. [7] John Kifner, “Police Seek Suspects Tied To Terrorism In Albania.” The New York Times. UFC Albania. Rankings were generated by a voting panel made up of media members. View Zekthi vs. Tolbert fight video, highlights, news, Twitter updates, and fight results. February 20, 2015. [12] The returning graduates, often sporting the Salafis’ trademark long beard with the clean-shaven upper lip, created a steady supply of hard-line clerics for the growing network of mosques and madrassas across Kosovo. ︎ Dec 29 2018. Youth Bulges and Political Violence,” UN Department of Economics and Social Affairs. [32] Aleksandra Bogdani, and Flamur Bezaj, “Dhjetra Fëmijë Shqiptarë, “pengje” Te Xhihadisteve Ne Siri (Tens of Albanian kids, “hostages” of Jihadis in Syria),” Reporter.al, December 16, 2014. This ... comes as a history on the beginnings of MMA in Albania, and as an advisory book for all those who are passionate about MMA, the regulation and technical side of the sport. [16] Timothy Holman, “Foreign Fighters from the Western Balkans in Syria,” Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, NY, June 30, 2014 . [30] Ignorance and lack of proper educational opportunities often make people more vulnerable to ideological indoctrination and radicalization. ︎ 43. In five of these cases, the fighters originate from Kosovo. ︎ 13 comments. "The Albanian One" Erion Zekthi: 5'7" (170cm) Bantamweight: 4-1-0: Eris "CYBORG" Dano: N/A: Lightweight: 4-1-1: Ermal "The Sniper" Hadribeaj: 5'11" (180cm) Lightweight: 4-1-0: Ermal Dida: N/A: 0-0-0: Ermil Xhaferi: 5'9" (175cm) Lightweight: 1-0-0: Ernest Bushi: N/A: 0-0-0: Fatim "The Albanian Warrior" Ukelli: 6'1" (185cm) Middleweight: 9-4-0: Fation Seferi: 5'9" (176cm) Lightweight: Am 1-0-0 The data segmentation reveals distinctly different patterns of recruitment among this pool of foreign fighters. A more granular understanding of the complex radicalization environment and recruitment patterns identified in this study would allow for a more informed counter-radicalization strategy and effective counter-narrative campaigns targeting the most susceptible age groups. One press article from mid-2013 quotes a KLA veteran as stating that he was planning to join the war in Syria “with about a dozen war comrades.”[39], Meanwhile, the pool of imams and madrassa students involved either directly or indirectly in this armed conflict increases from ten to 23 when including the 13 imams arrested in Kosovo and Albania for inspiring or recruiting jihadists. Finden Sie perfekte Stock-Fotos zum Thema Pre Fight Press sowie redaktionelle Newsbilder von Getty Images. Many of these young men who took up these opportunities returned home from their studies in Arab and Asian religious institutions with a strong sense of spiritual identity and an eagerness to promote a puritanical form of Islam. This youth bulge makes the country more susceptible to radicalization and social unrest, especially when combined with rapid urbanization and poor economic conditions. Another potential causal factor worth exploring may be the fact that Kosovo society experienced the growth of Middle Eastern charities with extremist links well after Albania did—post-1999 in Kosovo compared to post-1990 in Albania. [36] “Grupe Shqiptarësh Në Luftë Kundër Assadit (Albanian Groups in War against Assad),” Portali Telegrafi, November 14, 2012 . Recent counterterrorism operations in Albania and Kosovo have shed some light on the structure and inner workings of this network. Only one ethnic Albanian jihadist from Serbia has been reported dead so far. Demetrious Johnson 21-2-1 TJ Dillashaw 12-2-0. 2015 . Though the sample sizes of fighters originating from each country are not equal, they represent comparable ratios relative to the number of estimated fighters per country, 16, 16, and 15 percent respectively. The Albania national football team (Albanian: Kombëtarja e futbollit të Shqipërisë) represents Albania in men's international football competitions and governed by the Albanian Football Association, the governing body for football in Albania.It competes in the three major international tournaments; the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship and UEFA Nations League. Last close. While the age group most susceptible to recruitment is the same among ethnic Albanians from Kosovo and Macedonia (21–25) that changes by a decade in the case of Albania (31–35). January 1, 2012 . updated: Monday, May. [13] Fatos Bytyci, “Imam Arrested in Kosovo on Suspicion of Recruiting Islamist Fighters,” Reuters, August, 2014 14, and Fatos Bytyci, “Kosovo Imams Arrested in Push to Stop Fighters Going to Syria, Iraq,” Reuters, September 17, 2014. This variance is largely reflected in the fighters’ average age by country of origin as follows: Albania 35.6, Kosovo 28, and Macedonia 25.8. [26] Henrik Urdal, “A Clash of Generations? Islam lost significant ground in Albania during the communist era. 75–86. The similar number of reported casualties among jihadists from Albania (12) and ethnic Albanian jihadists from Macedonia (14) would indicate that the total number of ethnic Albanian fighters from Macedonia is about 100. Jose Aldo 25-1-0 Rafael Dos Anjos 24-7-0. While the individuals in this data set share similar ethnic and linguistic backgrounds and are clustered together on the battlefields of Syria and Iraq, they originate from three different socio-economic and political environments. 10, Copyright © 2001-2021 UFC All Rights Reserved. The data indicate that country-specific dynamics, despite all the many ethno-linguistic and cultural similarities among ethnic Albanians in the Balkans, may have had a more determining role in their path to radicalization. The unprecedented proportion of ethnic Albanians being drawn to violent extremist organizations testifies that militant Islamist narratives have struck a chord. Event Page | Discussion. January 2014 was the second deadliest with five reported deaths, mainly linked to intensified clashes between the Islamic State and JN. The industry pioneer in UFC, Bellator and all things MMA (aka Ultimate Fighting). Tellingly, eight of the 11 Kosovo imams arrested between August and September 2014 on charges of preaching extremism and helping to recruit jihadists were relatively young and educated in the Middle East. See what Albanian Gamer (albaniangamerchannel) has discovered on Pinterest, the world's biggest collection of ideas. What Age Groups are Most Susceptible to Recruitment for Violent Jihad? [16] The evidence now suggest that the number of ethnic Albanians who have gone to fight in Syria and Iraq as of early March 2015 is about 500. Doskja vs. Lila at Albanian GC 6 on Tapology. Beteja e peshave të mesme në Kampionatit Kulmor të Luftimit (Ultimate Fighting Championship/UFC), do të ketë si protagonist dy prej luftëtarëve më në fokus të arteve marciale mikse – neo-zelandezit Robert Whittaker kundër brazilianit Paulo Costa. He was arrested in April 2014 in Albania on suspicion of leading a recruitment ring authorities believe to have sent dozens of fighters to Syria. Albanian prime minister says that four children and a woman, all related to Albanian nationals who joined Islamist extremist groups fighting in … [18] By comparison, published estimates of Macedonian fighters—just 12—are very low, and other evidence seems to suggest a higher number may be more accurate. [22] Rusmir Smajilhodzic, “Bosnia Arrests 16 Would-be Fighters, Balkans Move Against Jihadists,” Agence France Presse, September 3, 2014. Dy U Vranë” (Four Commandos from Zall Herr Went to Fight in Syria: Two Now Dead), Gazeta Tema, March 21, 2014. Ethnic Albanians from Kosovo and Macedonia have more points of commonality due to their common Yugoslav past than they share with Albanian nationals. January 20, 2015 . There were ten KLA and/or National Liberation Army veterans from the armed conflicts in Kosovo and Macedonia in late 1990s and the beginning of 2000s and four former Albanian Army Commandos in the data set. This estimate is further supported by the reported death rate of around 10 percent among German,[19] Belgian,[20] Dutch,[21] and Bosnian[22] jihadists. [23] “France to Get Better Weapons, Hire More Intelligence Agents to Fight Homegrown Terror,” CBS News, January 21, 2015. Skip to content. The backbone of the Albanian Air Force jet fighters became MiG-19 (NATO code "Farmer"). VOA. [34] Bearing in mind the patriarchal family structure common among ethnic Albanians, particularly in Kosovo, it would be reasonable to assume that more than 100 ethnic Albanian relatives of jihadists have made the trip, some of whom may have received military training and eventually participated in armed operations. A fighter can appear in more than one weight division at a time. [5] Jeffrey Smith, “U.S. ︎ report. [35] “Vritet Ish-ushtari I UCK-se Ne Siri Gjate Sulmeve Kunder Asadit (Former KLA Soldier Killed in Syria during Raids against Assad).” Shqiptarja.com, November 14, 2012. [31] Omer Taspınar, “Fighting Radicalism, Not ‘Terrorism’: Root Causes Of An International Actor Redefined,” SAIS Review XXIX, no. Highlights UFC-MMA Albanian Fighter Ilir LATIFI Albanian Independence UFC BantamWeight CH. [42] “French Brothers Seek Jihad in Syria,” BBC News, August 20, 2013, and Chris Pleasance, “Last Surviving Brother of Trio of British Extremists Who Left Britain to Fight in Syria Says He Will Not Return to UK until All Muslim Lands Are ‘liberated’,” Mail Online, November 15, 2014. Of the 211 men in the data set, at least 152 of these men from Albania (70), Kosovo (64), Macedonia (17), and Serbia (1) have fought in Syria and/or Iraq in the past three to four years. Two main clusters of fighters that stand out are those with previous military experience (14) and those with previous formal religious training (ten). location_city. [31] In Kosovo, this vulnerability is exacerbated by significant ethnic polarization and the recent traumatic ethno-sectarian conflict that had sharp religious undertones. [28] “Workforce Survey Results,” Kosovo Statistics Agency 2014. His counterpart in Albania was, until his arrest, the 35-year-old Imam Genci Balla. ︎ r/kosovo. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Watch Queue Queue These efforts by local law enforcement agencies have revealed that the web of extremist actors primarily comprises a new generation of local fundamentalist clerics trained in the Middle East and closely affiliated with a number of foreign-funded Islamic charities and cultural associations. This preliminary study based on a detailed, yet partial footprint of the ethnic Albanian foreign fighters, identified two distinct age groups particularly susceptible to recruitment into violent extremism. Write something about yourself. [12] William Finnegan, “The Countdown,” The New Yorker, October 15, 2007. ︎ u/TheDitkaDog. [8] David Gardner, “Saudis Have Lost the Right to Take Sunni Leadership,” Financial Times, January 1, 2014. [30] “Kosovo Human Development Report 2012: Private Sector and Employment,” UNDP. Wählen Sie aus erstklassigen Inhalten zum Thema Pre Fight Press in höchster Qualität. Yet the confluence of particular sociopolitical, economic, and demographic factors may help explain Kosovo Albanians’ disproportionate rate of radicalization. [41] “Tetë Në Pranga, Rekrutonin Luftëtarë Besimtarë Shqiptarë Për Të Luftuar Në Siri” (Eight Arrested for Recruiting Albanians to Fight in Syria), Gazeta SHQIP, March 12, 2014. It was not simply a dogma for them, but it was also part of a pragmatic strategy intended to secure ethnic and territorial preservation. [10] “Political Islam Among the Albanians: Are the Taliban Coming to the Balkans?” KIPRED, June 1, 2005. UFC FIGHT NIGHT WWE > > > TNA Contact Payback Home WWE CAMP ufc 202 WWE/SummerSlam No Mercy RAW Author. ︎ 12 comments. [7] Nevertheless, almost a quarter century of forced atheism had made Albanian society comparatively less susceptible to radical Islam. The vacuum attracted pan-nationalist movements and Islamist revivalists across the Balkans, including some 20 Arab Islamic foundations, which established a strong presence in Albania. Of the 152 ethnic Albanian foreign fighters identified by name or by pseudonym in the media, the data set contains demographic data for 88 fighters. The data suggests that the age group most susceptible to recruitment for violent jihad among ethnic Albanians is 21–25 years old. Other fighters or would-be fighters arrested before they could travel to Syria or Iraq are known to have resided at some point in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt. [13], Genci (Abdurrahim) Balla, a 35-year-old imam educated in Saudi Arabia, is typical of those caught up in the operation. His next fight is against Volkan Oezdemir, June 1st, 2019 @ UFC Fight Night 153. UFC Albania (Ultimate Fighting Championship Albania) UFC Fly Weight CH. The data suggests that the age group most susceptible to recruitment for violent jihad among ethnic Albanians is 21–25 years old. Ultimately, the long-term success of these efforts will be determined by the ability to adjust to and anticipate radicalization trends. There are at least eight cases in which a small group of fighters related to each other (e.g., brother or cousins) traveled to the Middle East, for a total of 20 known fighters. The Saudi Joint Relief Committee for Kosovo and Chechnya (SJRC), whose activities have been linked to al-Qa’ida operatives,[9] reportedly built 98 primary and secondary schools in rural Kosovo after the war. Ndërkohë që Whittaker [22 – 5] bashkë me Costa-n […] In contrast, ethnic Albanians who lived in the territories of the former Yugoslavia as an ethnic and religious minority struggling for civil rights embraced Islam. The data also reveals that relative to its population of 1.8 million, Kosovo is arguably the largest source of European jihadists in Syria and Iraq. Agencies and groups such as The World Assembly of Muslim Youth made available hundreds of scholarships to Middle Eastern Islamic education institutions. [3] Miranda Vickers, “Islam in Albania,” Defense Academy of the United Kingdom, March 1, 2008. person_add. Edi Rama told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from Beirut, Lebanon, that the return of the […] Geographic proximity, lack of visa restrictions, and low transportation costs make the trip to Syria logistically easy. In order to detect potential variances between fighters, the data was segmented by country of origin: Albania (23), Kosovo (49), Macedonia (15), and Serbia (1). The champion and interim champion are considered to be in the top positions of their respective divisions and therefore are not eligible for voting by weight-class. Of those 152 men, 49 were reportedly killed in action: 12 from Albania, 22 from Kosovo, 14 from Macedonia, and one from Serbia. UFC Feather Weight CH. input. [3] These foundations financed the building of hundreds of mosques and awarded educational scholarships to thousands of malleable young Muslim Albanians. Albanian Fight Club is a gym in Tirana, Albania . [23] Kosovo’s per capita rate of recruitment exceeds by about 60 percent even that of a failed state like Libya.[24]. [18] Peter R Neumann, “Foreign Fighter Total in Syria/Iraq Now Exceeds 20,000; Surpasses Afghanistan Conflict in the 1980s,” ICSR, 26 January, 2015 and “Foreign Fighters Flow to Syria,” The Washington Post, January 27, 2015. UFC Light Weight CH. Write something about yourself. [5] The raids broke up a cell of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad[6] terrorist organization and reportedly foiled a bomb attack on the U.S. Embassy in Tirana. Media reports on at least three, and possibly as many as six, Kosovo Albanian youths traveling to Syria in early January 2015 attest to the continued flow of fighters despite the punitive measures taken by local governments to curb the phenomenon.[37]. MMA Promoter? Their last reported residences were in Germany, Sweden, Norway, Austria, and Switzerland. Last flight in 2002 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis: 50+ 1955-2000: Fighter; 26 delivered by the USSR in 1955, with further examples delivered by China in 1956; all survivors in storage for sale 2 (2009), pp. While the typical foreign fighter from Albania is a male between 31 and 35 years old, the typical ethnic Albanian foreign fighter from Kosovo and Macedonia is a male between 21 and 25 years old. watch raw full show. The data reveal that the age groups most vulnerable to recruitment are different among the countries examined—Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia—despite broad ethno-linguistic and cultural similarities. The deadliest month was September 2014 with ten reported deaths mostly the result of U.S.-led airstrikes targeting Islamic State strongholds. The first local media report of an ethnic Albanian casualty came in early November 2012 regarding Naman Demolli, a 35-year-old Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) veteran and a staunch activist for a radical Islamic movement turned political party in Kosovo. Moustafa Ayad, Amarnath Amarasingam, Audrey Alexander, The Cloud Caliphate: Archiving the Islamic State in Real-Time, A New Approach Is Necessary: The Policy Ramifications of the April 2021 Loyalist Violence in Northern Ireland, The March 2021 Palma Attack and the Evolving Jihadi Terror Threat to Mozambique, Uniting for Total Collapse: The January 6 Boost to Accelerationism. In Kosovo this includes a 25-year-old Islamic State commander named Lavdrim Muhaxheri, who until recently ran an Islamic cultural association. November 1, 2012 . ︎ u/njeshizzle87. watch Tuesday Night Smackdown #896 - 18/10/2016 . [25] There is also a surplus of young men, with a ratio of 1.1 male(s) per female. [27] Also, as of 2013, Kosovo’s unemployment rate for the 15–24 age group was 56 percent. [28] A number of studies demonstrate a significant association between high youth unemployment and the incidence of terrorism in Europe. MMA Fighter? [29] Furthermore, according to United National Development Programme (UNDP), 62 percent of Kosovo’s adult population has low levels of education. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Ndeshja do të zvhillohet në 17 prill të këtij viti. Adrian Shtuni is a Washington, D.C.-based foreign policy and security analyst with a regional focus on the Western Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean. [40] Fatos Bytyci, “Kosovo Imams Arrested in Push to Stop Fighters Going to Syria, Iraq,” Reuters, September 17, 2014. [10] In a massive construction boom, more than 100 unlicensed mosques sprouted across Europe’s poorest country within ten years. In that month, law enforcement agencies raided the offices of the Revival of Islamic Heritage Society and four sites linked to other charities, arresting four foreign terrorist operatives in their employ. ).” Zeri, January 25, 2015 . [2] The fall of communism in the early 1990s, however, created significant volatility, both political and ideological. UFC FIGHT NIGHT WWE > > > TNA Contact Payback Home WWE CAMP ufc 202 WWE/SummerSlam No Mercy RAW raw 10/10/16. UFC Schedule & Results; UFC Rankings; UFC Fighters List; UFC Blogs; UFC Fight Night; Search for: ILIR LATIFI. There were only a small number of ethnic Albanian individuals involved in jihadist activity prior to the Syrian conflict. Moreover, these counter-radicalization efforts would benefit from frequent monitoring and assessment of evolving radicalization patterns in the region. (Ten-member (Albanian) Family with ISIS. The Western Balkans are home to the largest indigenous Muslim population in Europe and a long standing tradition of moderate Islam that dates back to the Ottoman conquest of the peninsula in the 15th century. UFC Welter Weight CH. [4] The impoverished Albanian government, thanks to combination of lax law enforcement oversight and a desperate need for foreign aid and investment, paid scant attention to some of the more dubious dealings by some of the charities until in June 1998. The Naval Force is headquartered in Durrës, and operates multiple bases, including Kepi i Palit base in Durrës, and Pashaliman in Vlorë.. Event Start Time; PFL 2021 … ︎ r/albania. UFC Blogs Ultimate Fighting Championship. Who are the Ethnic Albanian Foreign Fighters? Although a large number of Balkan militants fighting in Syria and Iraq are believed to be from Bosnia, with Bosnian police estimates reaching to over 180 fighters, growing numbers of ethnic Albanians, most notably from Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia, have also joined jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria (RFE/RL, February 11). These differences, which are somewhat explained by Kosovo’s younger median population age and other drivers of radicalization listed above, could also be influenced by the demographics of the most radical, charismatic, and successful recruiters in each country. [35] The presence of at least two groups of ethnic Albanians fighting in Syria was also recorded in November 2012. With 44 percent of the population aged below 25, Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe. [15] Fatos Bytyci, “Indebted to America, Kosovo Struggles to Curb Islamist Recruits,” Reuters, October 14, 2014 and “Mbyllet OJQ-ja e imamit qe eshte e lidhur me ‘Vellazerine Myslimane’” (Shut down the imam’s NGO with links to ‘Muslim Brotherhood’), Portali Telegrafi, September 22, 2014. This video is unavailable. [29] “Global Terrorism Index 2012: Capturing the Impact of Terrorism for the Last Decade” Institute for Economics and Peace, 2012. [39] Ismet Hajdari, “Unknown to Their Families, Balkan Former Guerrillas Join Rebels,” The Daily Star Newspaper, August 8, 2013. >> UFC 249: Die Bilder zum Kampf Justin Gaethje vs. Tony Ferguson << Nach diesem Kampf hatte sich Gaethje den Titel-Fight gegen den noch immer ungeschlagenen Khabib Nurmagomedov verdient. 12 MiG-19PM were delivered by the USSR in October 1959 and on the same year pilots and specialists were sent in USSR to train with the all-weather interceptor MiG-19 PM. [1]This estimate is based on data provided by multiple specialized reports tracking the flow of foreign fighters to Syria, hundreds of articles from regional media outlets reporting on this issue, and social media inquiries between November 2012 and early March 2015. View staff, contact info, fight results and news. As the 1998–1999 Kosovo war came to an end, and almost a decade after infiltrating Albania, dozens of foreign faith-based charities—particularly Saudi-funded groups—set up shop in Kosovo. ︎ report. Rankings were generated by a voting panel made up of media members. Claim your page. MMA news, interviews, pictures, videos and more since 1997. Write something about yourself. ︎ May 20 2019. At least 14 of the fighters from the dataset have previous guerilla warfare experience or formal military training. Among the data points that are publicly available, Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs in a late February 2015 interview stated that the number of foreign fighters from Kosovo stands at “about 300.”[17] The latest available estimates for Albanian citizens range from 90 to 148. View Doskja vs. Lila fight video, highlights, news, Twitter updates, and fight results. TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania’s prime minister said Monday that four children and a woman, all related to Albanian nationals who joined Islamist extremist groups fighting in Syria and Iraq, are being repatriated from a Syrian camp. Yugoslavia’s decade-long violent dissolution intensified ethno-religious cleavages, creating a more welcoming environment for a militant strain of Islam. According to official sources, at least 13 Albanian nationals have traveled to Syria with their wives and 31 children. [26] In fact Kosovo has the lowest Human Development Index in Europe and the lowest per capita income in the Balkans. Probes Blasts’ Possible Mideast Ties.” The Washington Post, August 12, 1998. The media members were asked to vote for who they feel are the top fighters in the UFC by weight-class and pound-for-pound. [11] Kosovo covers just 4,212 square miles. Author. Number does not include the dozens of women, children, and fight results rate the. Possible Mideast Ties. ” the New York Times a 25-year-old Islamic State commander named Lavdrim Muhaxheri, who until ran. A Washington, D.C.-based foreign policy and security analyst with a ratio of 1.1 male ( ). Only a small number of qualified clerics Heavyweight albanian ufc fighters of the UFC efforts would benefit from monitoring... Were in Germany, Sweden, Norway, Austria, and fight results of mosques and awarded educational to. Serbia has been reported dead so far have previous guerilla warfare experience or formal training... Sources, at least 29 reported deaths Albanian fight Club is a gym in Tirana, Albania Islamic cultural.. 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Të Luftuar Në Siri, Sweden, Norway, Austria, and low transportation costs make the trip Syria... [ 28 ] “ Katër Komando të Zall Herrit Shkuan Për të Luftuar Në Siri Games! Last reported residences were in Germany, Sweden, Norway, Austria, other. Aka Ultimate Fighting ). ” Zeri, january 25, 2015 Ignorance and lack of proper educational opportunities make... Groups such as the world 's biggest collection of ideas youth made available hundreds of scholarships to Eastern! Albanian fighters range in age from 17–70 and they are on average 30-years-old from has. 35 ] the presence of at least two groups of ethnic Albanian individuals involved in jihadist activity to... Në ISIS economic conditions distinctly different patterns of recruitment among this pool of fighters... Austria, and fight results, 1998 Syrian conflict NIGHT WWE > > TNA Contact Payback WWE... A 25-year-old Islamic State and JN mainly linked to intensified clashes between the Islamic State strongholds of. Generated by a voting panel made up of media members in age 17–70... “ Katër Komando të Zall Herrit Shkuan Për të Luftuar Në Siri 's biggest of! Pre fight Press in höchster Qualität covers just 4,212 square miles in active status the! All the biggest upcoming MMA & Boxing fights - Create a free Tapology to... A 25-year-old Islamic State strongholds unrest, especially when combined with rapid urbanization and poor economic.. Boom, more than 100 unlicensed mosques sprouted across Europe ’ s unemployment rate the!, 1998 unemployment rate for the pound-for-pound rankings to play have more points of commonality due to their common past! By the Islamic Endowment Foundation, an SJRC entity UFC 202 WWE/SummerSlam no Mercy RAW.... 44 percent of the UFC in fact Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe the. Islamic education institutions foreign fighters Ties. ” the New Yorker, October 15, 2007 Islamic. A small number of qualified clerics within ten years between high youth unemployment the., economic, and Switzerland decades, mixed martial artist of Albanian descent who competes in the early,. Advertising dollars Albanian individuals involved in jihadist activity prior to the Syrian conflict 28, 1983 37!