Syrian Circassian Diaspora in Displacement

The Syrian Civil War created one of the largest refugee crises in recent history. Since 2011, around 12 million Syrians have been forcibly displaced, with nearly 6 million now living in neighbouring countries and Europe (UNHCR, 2025). Among them are Syrian Circassians, a Muslim minority numbering up to 100,000 people whose ancestors were forcibly displaced from the North Caucasus after the Russo–Caucasian War (1864), from the Balkans after the Russo–Ottoman War (1877–1878), and from the Golan Heights after the Six-Day War (1967). This chapter examines the transnational solidarity activities of two rival Circassian diaspora networks, KAFFED and Çerkes-Fed, both of which developed transnational solidarity with Syrian Circassians, but pursued different strategies shaped by their political perspectives. The research argues that their rivalry affected the cohesion of the Circassian diaspora, the allocation of resources, and the focus of activism and solidarity. Although their solidarity efforts were important, their activities often emphasised their disagreements because of their differing political perspectives, rather than promoting unified cooperation. Based on interviews with civil society activists affiliated with these networks and Syrian Circassians in Istanbul, this chapter examines their perspectives on solidarity initiatives, their interactions with host communities, and the challenges they encountered.