Security forces in northern Idlib carried out a operation Tuesday on a camp inhabited mainly by French nationals to rescue an 11-year-old girl reportedly held against her mother’s wishes. The operation targeted the compound of “Firqatul Ghuraba,” or the “Strangers’ Brigade,” a group led by French-Senegalese national Omar Diaby, also known as Omar Omsan, according to a Syrian security source who spoke to Levant 24.
The source said the operation aimed to recover the child, Maymuna, whose mother—also French—had appealed to authorities after learning her daughter was being detained inside the camp. “The operation did not target foreign fighters, but rather those attempting to run the camp independently and prevent state authorities from exercising oversight,” the source said.
Armed Resistance During Operation
Local sources reported clashes in the Harim area of Idlib’s countryside between Internal Security Forces and members of Diaby’s group, who antagonized the the police by firing on them. Drones were deployed over the area to monitor movement inside the fenced compound. The Internal Security Directorate said the objective was to retrieve the girl safely and arrest Diaby, who is wanted for multiple violations.
Security representatives from Idlib’s Ministry of Interior confirmed that “Firqatul Ghuraba” consists of about a dozen French nationals who built a self-contained settlement near the Turkish border. “Our first encounter with this group dates back to when a Belgian mother complained that her daughter was being held for ransom at the same camp,” an Interior Ministry official told Levant 24. “We intervened and returned the girl to her mother. This new operation follows a similar complaint.” Underscoring a troubling pattern of disappearances linked to Diaby’s compound, a new case mirrors the old one involving foreign families.
Every Mother’s Nightmare
On September 29, the mother of 11-year-old Maimuna, Sarah, returned home from work to find her daughter missing. After reaching out to the local authorities and the local community via social media it was discovered her daughter was in Diaby’s compound, where should had lived previously. Sarah, a French national, along with her daughters had previously lived in the camp run by Omar but had left the community with her children due to “what happened there.”
She told authorities that once she found her daughter was in the camp she had pleaded with Diaby to return her daughter and he refused. Maimuna’s father does not reside in Syria and her mother is her sole legal guardian. Sarah mentioned that there have been many incidents and complaints regarding the community—and Diaby in particular—yet to date nothing has happened.
A History of Violations
Diaby, 49, is a French citizen of Senegalese origin who traveled to Syria in 2012, where he led a faction of foreign fighters. He was previously detained in 2018 by security services under the former Syrian Salvation Government (SSG).
At the time, the government’s media office accused him of “establishing a private administration” and “setting up unauthorized courts and a detention facility” within his camp. Authorities said his actions violated civil and criminal procedures and infringed on residents’ rights.
The Ministry of Interior reiterated that current actions against Diaby are judicial, not political. Officials denied allegations circulating online that the operation was part of a wider crackdown on foreign nationals.
Following the operation, a statement attributed to the Ghuraba Brigade accused local authorities of “collaboration” with foreign powers and threatened escalation. Security officials said operations remain confined to the camp perimeter. Authorities have withdrawn prioritizing civilian safety and allowing Diaby and his followers an opportunity to comply without violence. “The goal is to bring Omar to justice and return the girl to her family,” the official told Levant 24.
