The Islamic caliphate created by the extremist group Isis collapsed in Syria five years ago, but there are still thousands of children in al-Holi refugee camp in Syria.
The independent international commission of inquiry on Syria under the UN calls on all countries to repatriate the children from the al-Holi refugee camp in northern Syria.
According to the organization, there are approximately 30,000 minors in the Al-Holi camp.
Most of the children ended up in the camp with their radicalized parents as a result of the events of 2014, when Isis declared a caliphate in Syria.
In addition to the Al-Holi camp, there are children in the smaller Roj camp, prisons and educational centers.
Consular Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jussi Tanner says that the statement of the Syrian Commission of Inquiry is important, but from the point of view of the Finns in the camp, the statement does not change the situation.
What is Finland going to do to repatriate the Finnish children in al-Holi, now that the Syrian Commission of Inquiry has asked to pick up the children from the camp?
– We will do everything possible to repatriate them and will continue to do so. Currently, the repatriation of children from the al-Holi camp is not up to Finland’s actions. We cannot repatriate them if the persons do not want to cooperate with us.
How many Finns and Finnish children are still in the camp?
– Ten Finns in all. Most of them are children. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not disclose the exact number to the public because it is a small group. We do not want children’s identities to be revealed.
How many Finns have been repatriated so far?
– From 2019, a total of 35 people. 26 of them are children and nine are adult women.
What does it mean that the repatriation of Finnish children does not depend on Finland’s actions?
– Children in the camp cannot be legally separated from their parents. Therefore, the repatriation of these children depends on the will of their mothers. If the mothers do not want to cooperate with us, we have no legal means of repatriating the children. However, the situation may change. We assume that the repatriation of the remaining children may also become relevant at some point, as the situation in the camp is very unstable.
Hundreds of children died in the harsh conditions of the camps
Most children live in al-Holi refugee camp. According to various estimates, there are 45,000 to 73,000 people in the camp.
Most of the residents of the al-Holi camp are Syrians and Iraqis, but the area is also home to citizens of European countries who became wives of ISIS fighters and their children.
According to the UN, living conditions in the heavily guarded al-Holi and Roj camps are difficult. Children have to endure cruel and inhumane treatment and their personal dignity is at risk.
Commissioner by Lynn Welchman teenage boys are reportedly being held in prisons run by the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
– These children were already victims during the ISIS regime and now they are being subjected to human rights violations and abuses, Welchman said according to the statement.
Mostly the former Soviet republics and Iraq have actively returned their citizens to their homeland. For example, in March, Iraq repatriated 600 of its citizens from al-Holi camp.
Source: AP