New Zealand repatriates ISIS child from AANES regions
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) announced on Sunday handing over one child of ISIS families to a delegation from New Zealand on May 4.
The delegation, headed by James Monroe, the Special Consular Envoy in the Government of New Zealand, visited the headquarter of the Foreign Relations Department of the AANES.
The AANES stated that they handed over the child, who has New Zealand nationality, according to an official repatriation document signed by the two parties.
The New Zealand official said his country acknowledged the sacrifices of the AANES in the fight against ISIS, supporting and rehabilitating affected people, and providing humanitarian care in camps.
Robel Baho, Deputy Co-chair of the Foreign Relations Department, noted the continuation of the Turkish drone attacks against the regions of north Syria, the civilian population, and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The official said that AANES continues to cooperate with states that have nationals present in north Syria to facilitate their repatriation.
The AANES was first formed in 2014 in the Kurdish-majority regions of Afrin, Kobani and Jazira in northern Syria following the withdrawal of the government forces. Later, it was expanded to Manbij, Tabqa, Raqqa, Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor after the SDF defeated ISIS militarily there.
Issue of the family members of the ISIS held in camps in northeast Syria constitutes an ongoing challenge for the non-internationally recognized AANES, which repeatedly demands that the concerned countries repatriate their nationals.
Also, the AANES continues to call on the international powers to provide support for establishing rehabilitation centers and help in tackling the security situation in the facilities were ISIS foreign nationals are held.
Despite many calls, the majority of countries, including those participating in the Global coalition, refuse to repatriate their nationals.
Wives and children of ISIS families are housed in Roj and Hawl camps – two camps run by the SDF. Hawl Camp, 45 km east of the city of Hasakah, is a house for 55.829 individuals, including 28.725 Iraqis, 18.850 Syrians and 8.254 of foreign nationalities, according to the latest statistics obtained by North Press.
The camp witnesses murders with different methods, most notably firearms. The management of the camp fears that the latest Turkish threats of invading areas in northern Syria would pave the way for ISIS to reorganize its ranks; North Press cited a statement by the management as saying.
Roj Camp, one of several detention camps in northeast Syria, holds about 727 families, numbering 2.310 individuals including 1.582 children.
Residents of the camp are family members of ISIS who joined its ranks during era of the ISIS so-called Islamic Caliphate in 2014.