Belgium investigates possible repatriation of ISIS women from Syria

A Belgian team recently visited northeast Syria and questioned Belgian ISIS women in the al-Roj camp.

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/05/18 22:01

A local market in the sprawling al-Hol displacement camp in northeast Syria, July 9, 2019 (Photo: Wladimir van Wilgenburg/Kurdistan 24)

Syria Belgium ISIS children ISIS al-Roj camp Sweden AANES SDF

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Belgium is investigating if it could repatriate ISIS women and children from northeast Syria, Belgian media reported yesterday.

The news website De Morgen reported that a Belgian team recently visited northeast Syria and questioned Belgian ISIS women in the al-Roj camp and took DNA tests from children to check if they have Belgian parents.

Belgium will decide in the next few weeks if it will repatriate the people it visited.

On July 16, 2012, Belgium repatriated six women. Two of them are in jail, while the other four face trial.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the civilian AANES in northeast Syria have repeatedly called on foreign countries to repatriate their citizens stuck in Syria.

The SDF holds thousands of ISIS families and fighters in camps and detention centers.

The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) handed over two Swedish women suspected of ISIS affiliation and three children to a Swedish government team on May 8.

Several Western countries have been reluctant to repatriate their citizens due to legal and security risks and domestic opposition to the repatriation of suspected ISIS militants.