Finland Aims to Repatriate ISIS Children from Syria 'as Soon as Possible'

A general view of al-Hol displacement camp in Hasaka governorate, Syria April 2, 2019. (Reuters)
A general view of al-Hol displacement camp in Hasaka governorate, Syria April 2, 2019. (Reuters)
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Finland Aims to Repatriate ISIS Children from Syria 'as Soon as Possible'

A general view of al-Hol displacement camp in Hasaka governorate, Syria April 2, 2019. (Reuters)
A general view of al-Hol displacement camp in Hasaka governorate, Syria April 2, 2019. (Reuters)

Finland will try to repatriate children of Finnish mothers who traveled to Syria to join ISIS “as soon as possible”, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Monday.

Finland is one of a number of European Union member states facing a decision over whether to bring home citizens with ISIS links who are trapped at the al-Hol camp displacement camp controlled by Kurds in northeastern Syria.

More than 30 children born to 11 Finnish women are at al-Hol, according to Finnish media, and the fate of the mothers has caused divisions in Finland’s five-party coalition government that took office last week.

The Center Party, a coalition ally of Marin’s Social Democrats, opposes letting the wives of ISIS fighters back into Finland but supports repatriating their children.

The party is worried by the rise in the polls of the opposition nationalist Finns Party, which says repatriating ISIS detainees could endanger Finland’s security.

Marin said that, in an attempt to resolve the dispute in the coalition, the government had decided each case should be judged on its own merits.

“The aim of the authorities’ actions is to protect the interests of the child in all circumstances,” Marin said, leaving the door open for the repatriation of some of the mothers with their children.

“There is no obligation to assist adults who went to the region of their own accord,” she said.

Repatriating children without their mothers is unlikely to happen as Syrian Kurdish forces, who control the territory that includes al-Hol, oppose separating children from their mothers.

Marin’s government faces questioning on the issue in parliament on Tuesday.



Netanyahu Says Iran’s Government Fears Its People More than Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 13, 2024. (Reuters)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 13, 2024. (Reuters)
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Netanyahu Says Iran’s Government Fears Its People More than Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 13, 2024. (Reuters)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 13, 2024. (Reuters)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday in a direct message to Iranians that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's government feared the people of Iran more than Israel.

"That’s why they spend so much time and money trying to crush your hopes and curb your dreams," he said in a video message. "Well, I say to you this: Don’t let your dreams die. I hear the whispers: Women, Life, Freedom. Zan, Zendegi, Azadi.

"Don't lose hope. And know that Israel and others in the free world stand with you," Netanyahu said.