US praises SDF and Kyrgyz Republic for repatriation of women and children from Syria
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The US has praised the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Kyrgyz Republic’s for repatriation of 96 women and children from the al-Hol displaced persons camp in northeast Syria, according to a Coalition statement published on Saturday.
In total, the Kyrgyz Republic has repatriated 333 of its nationals this year, a substantial portion of the nearly 5,000 individuals returned to their countries of origin in 2023.
Read More: 100 Iraqi families to be repatriated from al-Hol camp: SOHR
“The overall pace of repatriations from northeast Syria in 2023, accelerated by substantial U.S. support, increased by nearly a third over the previous year, helping to ease the burden of providing humanitarian services and reducing the risk of ISIS exploitation of this vulnerable population,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement on Friday.
Moreover, he said approximately 33,000 individuals from more than 60 countries outside Syria remain in the SDF-held al-Hol and Roj camps, most of whom are children under the age of 12.
“We are grateful to our international and local partners, the Syrian Democratic Forces, and the Government of Kuwait, for their support in returning displaced persons at al-Hol and Roj to their countries of origin,” he added.
CJTF-OIR applauds @SDF_Syria, AANES supporting repatriation of 96 women and children
— Operation Inherent Resolve (@CJTFOIR) December 9, 2023
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The US-led Coalition’s statement added that “thanks to the SDF and AANES in 2023, more than 4,400 people have been returned to their communities and countries of origin from these camps, helping to ease the burden of providing humanitarian services and reducing the risk of Daesh's (ISIS) exploitation of this vulnerable population.”
The Coalition further underlined that “repatriation is the only enduring solution.”