North and East Syria: Countries still fear repatriation of their nationals

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA – The issue of families of the Islamic State (ISIS) in the camps of Syria and Iraq is still controversial and without any solution. According to Human Rights Watch, approximately 43,000 foreigners are still present in North and East Syria in prisons and camps of the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA). The DAA frequently calls on all countries to assume their responsibilities and repatriate their nationals.

Some countries responded to the DAA’s call and repatriated their citizens. Denmark took back 19 children and 3 of their mothers, while about 40 children are still in the camps. Sweden repatriated 3 women and their 6 children. Finland resettled 20 children and 6 of their mothers. Russia repatriated not less than 340 children.

Some countries have fears of repatriating their nationals, including Belgium. Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder revealed that the cost of repatriating ISIS women and their children from the DAA camps to Belgium would cost up to 1.7 million euros. As for France, it refuses to repatriate the adults and wants them to be tried in Syria. There are about 200 children and 80 French women in camps in North and East Syria. Thirty were brought back to France so far.

In related news, French lawyer and human rights activist Marie Ducey accused her country of violating its international human rights obligations against some of its citizens, and stated that it would internationalize the case of the families of French jihadists in Syria and plead for them before the European Court. She explained that the organizations counted 62 deaths among children in the al-Hol and Roj camps since the beginning of 2021.