AANES hands over 59 ISIS nationals to Kyrgyzstan, CENTCOM grateful
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) announced on Thursday it handed over 59 women and children of the families of the Islamic State (ISIS) of Kyrgyz nationals to the delegation of their country.
The Foreign Relations’ Department of the AANES said, on its official website, a delegation of Kyrgyzstan visited its area and received 18 women and 41 children of ISIS families.
The Kyrgyz delegation was headed by Tokobaev Arslan, representative of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The women and children were handed over via a formal document between the AANES and the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.
Following the handing over, the US Central Command (CENTCOM), issued a statement showing its grateful for Kyrgyzstan.
“We are grateful to the leadership of the Kyrgyz Republic for working to resolve the ongoing humanitarian crisis resulting from the dismantling of the so-called ISIS caliphate,” CENTCOM Commander, General Michael “Erik” Kurilla said.
He added that the “repatriation” of the nationals is the “only long-term solution” to the crisis of ISIS families in northeast Syria.
General Kurilla stressed that they will continue to support the repatriation efforts with their regional partners, in reference to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Tens of thousands of women and children of ISIS families from about 60 countries are still in the two camps of Hawl and Roj within the AANES-held areas in northeast Syria, in addition to thousands of ISIS members in prisons who were surrendered to the SDF during the fall of ISIS last stronghold of Baghuz in Deir ez-Zor Governorate.
The AANES continues calling for the countries to repatriate their nationals and establish an international tribunals for the ISIS members because they pose a significant risk to the civilians in the region.