Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Belgium repatriates 6 mothers and 10 children from Syria camps

Belgium repatriates 6 mothers and 10 children from Syria camps

The operation marks Belgium's largest repatriation effort from jihadist camps since the fall of the so-called Islamic State group in 2019.
Belgium repatriated on Friday ten Belgian children of jihadist fighters and six mothers from Syria, the federal prosecutor said in a statement.

"A plane chartered by the Belgian Government landed yesterday at 21.20h at the military airport of Melsbroek," the statement read.

"Onboard were 6 Belgian women and 10 children coming directly from the Al Roj camp, located in the North-East of Syria" "

It is the largest operation of this kind organised by Belgian authorities since the fall of the so-called Islamic State group in 2019.

The adult women, "who were repatriated at their request," were arrested upon arrival, the federal prosecutor said.

"They were transferred to different prisons after having been given the opportunity to separate from their children in good conditions," the statement read.

Five of them were already sentenced in absentia to prison terms by Belgium courts for participation in the activities of a terrorist group. The sixth is under an arrest warrant for the same offence.

The women are the mothers of the repatriated children, who are aged between 8 and 2.

"First, the physical and psychological health of these children, who have been living in difficult conditions in Syria for a long time, will be checked in a hospital," the statement read.

"Then, an appropriate framework will be put in place on a case-by-case basis. The families concerned have been personally informed of the return of their relatives after the plane took off from Erbil."

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo hailed the success of the operation on Saturday and thanked Iraqi, Kurdish and local northeastern Syrian authorities for their cooperation.

"All operations went according to the pre-established plan," De Croo said in a statement.

"The priority has always been to keep children safe," he insisted.

In March, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo pledged he would "do everything" to repatriate children under 12 years old.

He emphasised the need to take into account the "well-being" of these children amid a deteriorating humanitarian and security situation in the camps in northeastern Syria.

It is also a matter of "security" for Belgium, said De Croo. Belgium's anti-terrorism authorities say it is much easier to monitor returnees when they are on Belgian soil.

More than 400 Belgians joined the ranks of jihadist organisations after the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011 -- among the largest numbers in Europe, along with France.

Belgian researchers estimated in a study published earlier this year that around 40 Belgian minors still remained in Syria.

Many European governments have been reluctant to take back their often radicalised citizens after IS was militarily defeated.

France's policy, for instance, is to repatriate French children, while their parents are left in Syria to face local justice.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “The Current Welfare State Can No Longer Be Financed”
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
Wizz Air passengers screamed as storm-battered flight diverts to Bologna
European postal services halt U.S. deliveries after Trump imposes new tariffs
Urban explorer finds abandoned luxury restaurant left to decay
Fidesz leader labels Péter Magyar a ‘bluffer’ amid escalating political spat
French rope park operator arrested for denying entry to Israeli children
Újpest thrashes Zalaegerszeg 4-1 to secure first win in five matches
Profit-margin cap costs retailers 13 billion forints a month, warns trade group
Curiosity rover finds coral-like rock on Mars hinting at watery past
U.S. green policy rollback drives investors to Europe’s sustainable finance market
Special funerals rise in Hungary: boat, aerial and forest burials gain popularity
Hungary’s Kiskunság region turning into semi-desert after extreme drought
Kopasz Bálint wins world kayak 1000 m title in Milan, making him triple world champion
Budapest’s Keleti railway station to close for four weeks for track overhaul
Balaton could be unfit for swimming by 2035 and dry by 2050, scientists warn
Leaked guidelines show Meta’s AI allowed flirty and racist interactions with children
Filming of ‘Emily in Paris’ halted after assistant director dies on set
Filipino guest workers sue after Hungary moves to deport them for pregnancy
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
A monster hit and a billion-dollar toy empire
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
Canada: Nurse Suspended and Fined 93 Thousand Dollars After Stating the World’s Most Well-Known Fact Since the Creation of Adam and Eve, That There Are Only Two Genders
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
U.S. Treasury Secretary Whitney Bessent Backs Stablecoins to Boost Treasury Demand
Spain to Declare Disaster Zones After Massive Wildfires
Three-Minute Battery Swap Touted as Future of EVs
Beijing Military Parade to Showcase Weapons Advances
×