Economic concerns and the desire for a sense of purpose and revenge are the major factors pushing young Syrians into the arms of terrorist groups, a study released on Wednesday found, according to AFP.
The report by peace activist group International Alert draws on interviews with 311 Syrians, their families and members of their communities in Syria, Lebanon and Turkey. It found that males between the ages of 12 and 24 were most at risk of joining jihadist organisations like the "Islamic State" (ISIS) terrorist group and Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate the Nusra Front.
But instead of being attracted by the groups' ultra-conservative ideologies, young Syrians are more driven by "the need to earn a basic living, regain a sense of purpose and dignity and the belief in a moral duty to protect, avenge and defend".