Denmark to repatriate 22 citizens from camps in North and East Syria

AL-HOL, Syria — After an extended period of reluctance, the Danish government has finally agreed to repatriate its citizens inside the camps of North and East Syria. The Danish government previously stated that repatriating detainees in the camp would pose a security threat.

However, on Tuesday, it announced its intention to repatriate 22 women and children from North and East Syria despite their links to the Islamic State (ISIS).

Danish citizens are among about 10,000 foreign women and children from 57 countries in the Al-Hol and Roj camps in North and East Syria.

The decision to repatriate the three Danish women and their 14 children, as well as five other children without their mothers, was made on the recommendation of the Danish Intelligence and Security Service.

The decision indicates a change in the policy of the Social Democratic government, which is facing increasing pressure from human rights activists and other parties within its political alliance that have threatened to vote in favor of withholding confidence in the Minister of Foreign Affairs if Danish citizens were not brought back to the country.