NGO urges Germany to take back children of Daesh terrorists


A humanitarian group has called for Germany to take back the children of Daesh terrorists that were German citizens, warning that 117 children face the risk of being radicalized.

German humanitarian group Medico International indicated that female Daesh terrorists and their children are being held in camps in northern Syria to be brought to Germany. The nongovernmental organization (NGO) said that the German women of Daesh were already radicalized back in Germany before participating in Daesh, indicating that the German government has the responsibility to take care of these people.

According to Medico International, 70,000 people live in the al-Hol camp, which is under the control of the PKK's Syrian affiliate People's Protection Units (YPG), despite the camp's capacity being just 20,000. A section within the camp, however, is separated for the 10,000 women from 70 different countries, who participated in the Daesh terrorist organization. The NGO stressed that the condition of most of these women is unknown.

It is also said that more than 120 women are linked to Germany one way or another. Over 90 of these women are reported to be German citizens, and 117 children have a German father or mother. The NGO also accused Germany of doing nothing about the issue, saying that with the proper political will, these women and children can be brought back to Germany via northern Iraq.

Daesh started gaining control in Iraq and later in Syria in 2014 through a campaign of violence, invasion and extreme brutality against residents.

At the height of Daesh's power, hundreds of foreign fighters, including some Turkish citizens, streamed in to join the self-proclaimed caliphate. Some militants took their young children with them to Daesh-controlled areas in Syria and Iraq.

Following a period of expansion from 2014 to 2015, Daesh went into a gradual decline, with U.S.-led coalition bombings weakening the group. The international community has been fighting Daesh for years, but this bloody group remained undefeated with its militias.

According to the 2018 report "From Daesh to Diaspora," issued by the International Center for the Study of Radicalization that traced the women and minors connected to the terrorist organization, at least 41,490 citizens from 80 countries have traveled to Syria and Iraq.

While up to 4,761 (13 percent) of these are women, 4,640 (12 percent) are minors. The number of infants born in the Daesh "caliphate" to international parents, on the other hand, is at least 730.

By 2018, 20 percent, 7,366 foreign fighters returned to their home countries or appear to be in the process of repatriation.

Turkey is also reportedly preparing to bring in nearly 500 children of Turkish foreign fighters for Daesh who are still in Iraqi prisons.