The areas controlled by the Islamic State (IS) are beginning to recede on various fronts. In Syria, Libya and Iraq, IS has suffered extensive defeats and lost towns and villages that were of great importance for the group and its fighters who had joined it from all over the world. These successive defeats pose a pressing question about the fate of thousands of foreign fighters, while the fear in the countries from which they came is rising, as they are preparing to return home.

Large numbers of fighters of Tunisian nationality have joined IS ranks in Syria, Libya and Iraq, and estimates indicate that the number of Tunisian fighters in Syria and Iraq amounts to over 3,000 fighters, while in Libya, Tunisians represent the largest percentage of IS members, reaching more than 500 fighters. Hence, the Tunisian authorities face the dilemma of how to deal with potentially thousands of returning IS fighters, while it has been witnessing the presence of jihadi groups that became active in the western mountainous region four years ago.

The most prominent jihadi group active in this region is Katibat Uqba Ibn Nafi, loyal to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which is an extension of Ansar al-Sharia and Jund al-Khilafah that have pledged allegiance to IS.

Despite their different allegiances, these groups stand united in carrying out attacks against the Tunisian security forces and the army through ambushes and landmines; the attacks have caused the government forces great human losses since 2012.