Tensions escalated in northern Syria’s Idlib province this week as Syrian government forces clashed with fighters in Al-Fardan camp, led by Omar Diaby, a French militant with an international arrest warrant. The camp, located near the Turkish border, houses a small group of French and Francophone militants and their families. The confrontation began after residents reported severe violations, including the kidnapping of a girl by an armed group under Diaby’s command. Syrian security forces surrounded the camp, demanding Diaby’s surrender, but he refused, barricading himself and initiating gunfire, which led to intense exchanges and drone strikes. Videos on social media depicted damaged structures and civilians fleeing for safety. Diaby’s son, Jibril, appealed for mercy, emphasizing the presence of families and children in the camp. The arrival of Uzbek militants to defend the camp and fears of political fallout prompted a truce, with Diaby agreeing to surrender heavy weapons. Diaby, also known as Omar Omsen, is a Senegal-born French citizen notorious for recruiting jihadists via YouTube. Designated a terrorist by the U.S. in 2016, he previously led French fighters aligned with the Nusra Front, al-Qaida’s Syrian affiliate. His history includes faking his death in 2015 and conflicts with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the militant group that controlled northwest Syria before Assad’s fall. The presence of foreign fighters in Syria remains a contentious issue, with many Syrians opposing their extremist views. While some foreign fighters have been integrated into the new national army, their future remains uncertain, posing challenges for Syria’s interim government and its relations with Western nations.