Canada intends to repatriate 23 nationals from camps in NE Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Canada decided to repatriate 23 of its nationals, including four men, from camps for Islamic State (ISIS) family members in northeast Syria, Al-Monitor said on Friday.
Al-Monitor cited lawyer Barbara Jackman, who is representing one of the men, as saying that Canada’s Foreign Ministry had announced that it would repatriate 23 Canadians, including six women, 13 children and four men.
It will mark “the largest such repatriation” for Canada.
This came after families of the detained Canadians get set to argue in Federal Court that the Liberal government’s long-standing refusal to repatriate their family members amounts to a “breach of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms [in Canada].”
In Nov. 2022, the Canadian government detailed its legal position for the first time regarding the Canadians captured during the fight against ISIS in Syria.
On Jan. 7, Lawrence Greenspon, a lawyer representing the Canadian nationals, accused the Canadian government of hindering the repatriation of its nationals.
The foreign ministry said in a statement, “We continue to evaluate the provision of extraordinary assistance on a case by case basis, including repatriation to Canada, in line with the policy framework adopted in 2021.”
Farida Deif, the detainees’ head in Canada, said that Global Affairs of Canada has informed a number of them by letter that they fulfill the requirements for repatriation.
However, “none of the men have been notified of anything or have been part of any agreements thus far,” she said.
In October 2022, Canada repatriated four nationals, including two women from camps in northeastern Syria.
However, a day later, Canadian police arrested the two women, as one of whom was charged with terrorism-related offences, including working for ISIS.