Support grows for repatriation of British nationals from detention camps in North and East Syria

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — The Syrian British Consortium — formerly the Syrian British Council — Council has added its support to the calls for the return of British nationals associated with the Islamic State (ISIS) who are currently being held in camps in North and East Syria. This support comes two days after the launch of a campaign aimed at pressuring the British government to take action.

Haitham al-Hamwi, the chairman of the Council, emphasized the importance of fair trials for all, regardless of the crimes committed. He acknowledged that some of the ISIS associates, particularly women and children, may have been deceived and suggested that they should be rehabilitated instead of being left in camps where the risk of further radicalization remains high.

Despite concerns raised by the British government about potential consequences of repatriating these families, al-Hamwi argued that it is unacceptable to leave them in the camps without providing any trial or rehabilitation programs to address the underlying reasons that led them to join ISIS. The Syrian-British Council believes that a comprehensive approach is necessary to address the situation and prevent future terrorist ideologies from taking root.