Official: Iraq repatriated 598 children born to Daesh members

Iraq has successfully repatriated a total of 598 children born to members of Daesh back to their countries of origin, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

Ahmed Al-Sahaf told Russia’s Sputnik news agency that the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, in coordination with the Supreme Judicial Council and security authorities, has repatriated a total of 598 children to Turkey, Russia, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Germany, France, Sweden, Georgia, Belarus, Ukraine, Algeria, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

The Iraqi official explained that the Foreign Ministry had invited all countries, through its missions and embassies abroad, to initiate coordination with Iraq to receive the children, in accordance with the sovereign, legal and constitutional contexts.

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Iraq has been returning the children of Daesh members whose parents were killed, fled, or arrested during the Iraqi military operations to recapture cities previously under the terror group’s control in the governorates of Anbar, Nineveh, Salahuddin and parts of Kirkuk.

In December 2017, Iraq announced that its forces have successfully retaken control of all areas seized by the militant group.

Many European citizens went to fight in Syria/Iraq and had children there, now EU countries are facing a decision over whether to bring them home or not – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]