Syria’s Kurds repatriate almost 150 IS-linked Tajiki girls, kids – Instances of India

On this picture launched on the official Fb web page of Syrian Presidency, Syrian President Bashar Assad greets Syrians (AP picture)

QAMISHLI, SYRIA: Syria’s semi-autonomous Kurdish administration handed Tajikistan 146 girls and kids associated to Islamic State group jihadists, a Kurdish official stated Monday, within the first such repatriation to the ex-Soviet state.
1000’s of international extremists joined IS as fighters, usually bringing their wives and kids to dwell within the “caliphate” declared by the group throughout swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014.
The jihadists have been dislodged in 2019 from their final scrap of territory in Syria by Kurdish-led forces backed by a US-led coalition, and Kurdish authorities have repeatedly known as on international locations to repatriate their residents from crowded displaced camps.
However nations have largely obtained them solely sporadically, fearing a home political backlash.
The Kurds handed over “42 girls and 104 kids, together with orphans, who have been held within the Al-Hol and Roj camps” in northeast Syria to Tajikistan’s ambassador to Kuwait Zabidullah Zabidov, Kurdish international affairs official Fanar al-Kaeet stated.
Zabidov is dealing with the repatriation course of for Tajikistan.
The ex-Soviet state has been in touch with Syria’s Kurds “for months” to repatriate their residents, Kaeet stated throughout a press convention within the northeastern metropolis of Qamishli.
The ladies “didn’t commit any crimes or terrorist acts in northeastern Syria,” he stated.
Al-Hol and Roj camps are residence to tens of hundreds of family members of IS militants from Syria and overseas, with the previous holding 10,000 foreigners.
Kurdish-led forces escorted the ladies, some in vibrant clothes, others in lengthy black robes, and the youngsters, as they have been bussed out to Qamishli airport, AFP correspondents in Qamishli reported.
Some girls tried to cover their faces.
Younger kids timidly peeked via the bus home windows, from behind thick curtains that hid the opposite passengers.
Rights teams have lengthy decried grim residing situations and rampant criminality within the north Syrian camps holding jihadists’ family members.
In response to HRW, greater than 41,000 international residents — the bulk below 12 years previous — are being held in camps and prisons in northeast Syria over alleged IS hyperlinks.