German, Danish ISIS-affiliated women and children repatriated from Syria
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Germany and Denmark repatriated ISIS-affiliated women and children with US support in a coordinated operation on Wednesday, German and Danish media outlets have reported.
According to Germany's Der Spiegel magazine, eight German women and 23 children were repatriated. A number of them were arrested on arrival at Frankfurt airport.
On 6 October 8 German women and 23 children from ISIS families were handed over to a delegation from German Foreign Affairs Ministry according to an official repatriation document signed by the two sides.@GermanyDiplo pic.twitter.com/Iiivv2kwb0
— Dr Abdulkarim Omar (@abdulkarimomar1) October 7, 2021
The DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation) confirmed the repatriation of three Danish women and 14 children.
Dr. Abdulkarim Omar, co-chair of the Foreign Relations Commission of the Self Administration in Northern and Eastern Syria, also confirmed on Thursday morning that the German and Danish women were handed over to a delegation from the German and Danish Foreign Ministry after signing an official repatriation document.
On 6 October, 3 Danish women and 14 children from ISIS families were handed over to a delegation from the Danish Foreign Affairs Ministry according to an official repatriation document signed by the two sides.@DanishMFA pic.twitter.com/jPB0Q2tFjr
— Dr Abdulkarim Omar (@abdulkarimomar1) October 7, 2021
Der Spiegel reported that suspects were flown out on a military plane and handed over to diplomats in a US base in the region.
However, German media reported that it took months of negotiations between diplomats and the Kurdish-led authorities in northeast Syria.
Several European countries have been reluctant to repatriate citizens with suspected links to ISIS over security risks and domestic opposition.
However, more Western countries have started repatriating women and children to their home countries in recent years.
Last month Sweden also repatriated nine Swedish nationals.
Furthermore, last week the UN said it had developed an integrated approach designed to support states with third-country returnees at a sideline event at the UN assembly in New York held by the Iraqi and Dutch governments, UNICEF, and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism.