Iraq deported 473 foreign ‘ISIS children’: Ministry spokesperson

Wladimir van Wilgenburg |
14 hours ago


Families and relatives of Islamic State militants are seen after surrendering themselves to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in al-Ayadiya, northwest of Tal Afar, Iraq, Aug. 30, 2017. (Photo: Reuters/Ari Jalal)


ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Monday said it is ready to deport foreign-born children of the Islamic State back to their countries, of which 473 have already been deported.

“The Foreign Ministry through the Legal Department works with the competent authorities, namely the Supreme Judicial Council, the Ministry of Justice and the security services, to resolve the deportation of Dae’sh children to their countries,” Iraqi Foreign Ministry official spokesman, Dr. Ahmad Al-Sahaf, said using the pejorative Arabic acronym for the jihadist group.


On July 10 alone, Iraq deported 33 Russian children.


The Foreign Ministry has also reportedly participated in the process to deport 473 children of various nationalities, including “Russian, Tajik, Azerbaijani, German, French, Georgian, Belarusian, Finnish, Ukrainian, and Turkish,” all having been born to members of the Islamic State.


The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has directed its missions abroad to invite all states with nationals who joined the group, including “women, children and juvenile offenders” who were caught in Iraq or Syria, to “coordinate with Iraq through diplomatic channels in order to receive them.”


Indeed, Iraq’s judiciary is handling the fate of more than a thousand children whose parents of various nationalities had joined the Islamic State.

Most of the children are from Eastern European countries, as well as Tajikistan, Russia, and Turkey.

The Central Criminal Court in Baghdad is working on repatriating them to their respective countries of origin, following the proper legal procedures.


“We call on all states to intensify efforts to receive their nationals who are children of members of Da’esh,” the ministry affirmed.


Some of the children are currently held with their mothers in Iraqi rehabilitation services, in addition to those whose sentences have been served.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/...a-5bfe3dd2f827