Kosovo repatriates 11 ISIS-linked nationals from Rojava

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Southeastern Europe's Kosovo repatriated a number of its Islamic State (ISIS) affiliated nationals from northeast Syria (Rojava), the Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday.

“We have returned 11 Kosovo citizens from conflict areas in Syria,” Interior Minister Xhelhal Svecla said in a Facebook post, adding that the “wife and children repatriated need our support.”

“They have and deserve to have the time and space needed to adapt. Our government is helping them return to their families so that they can reintegrate into their districts,” Scevla added.

This is the second time Kosovo has repatriated its citizens from Syria. In April 2019, it brought back 110 citizens, mostly women, and children as well as four alleged fighters.

ISIS took control of swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014. Kurdish forces arrested tens of thousands of ISIS fighters and their family members when they took control of the last bastion of ISIS in Syria in March 2019.

Al-Hol and Roj camps together hold more than 60,000 people. Finland repatriated about 30 of its ISIS-linked nationals from Rojava and Turkey on Friday. Ten children and three mothers were handed over by Rojava officials. The rest were repatriated via Turkey.

Kurdish and US officials have made repeated calls on the international community to repatriate their nationals from overcrowded camps where children are exposed to ISIS ideology. But only a few countries have responded positively. Most are worried about security concerns and are generally limiting repatriations, even for children. The United Nations in February called on 57 member states to repatriate their nationals.

Rojava authorities handed over 10 Belgian children and six women, who were their mothers, to Brussels on Thursday.

According to Helsinki, there are still nearly 900 European citizens – 600 children and 300 women – in Rojava’s camps, including several Finns.

Kosovo repatriates 11 ISIS-linked nationals from Rojava

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