Canada Repatriates 14 Citizens From Syrian Camps

Facts

• On Thursday, Canada's government repatriated 14 Canadians – four women and ten children – from Islamic State (IS) detention camps in northeast Syria.¹
• Three of the repatriated women were arrested after landing at the Montréal-Trudeau International Airport before appearing in court on a terrorism peace bond application, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Friday.²
• This comes after a Canadian federal court in January ordered the government to repatriate 23 citizens — including six women and 13 children — from the Kurdish-run camps.³
• Last October, Canada repatriated two women and two children from the Syrian camps and charged one with supporting terrorism.⁴
• Over 30 Canadians, including 19 children and seven women, reportedly still reside in camps in northeastern Syria after the latest repatriation operation.⁵
• Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch estimates that more than 42K foreign adults and children with alleged ties to IS have been held in camps in the war-torn country.²

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²Al Jazeera, ³Voa, ⁴Daily sabah and ⁵Middle east eye.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Al Jazeera. The Canadian government is concerned about the health and well-being of children held in deteriorating camps in northeastern Syria. While Canada is still dedicated to fighting IS, repatriation is an important step in resolving the humanitarian and security challenges that followed the dismantlement of the so-called caliphate. It's also the only real solution for helping foreigners who remain in detention camps, many of whom are vulnerable children.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Lowy institute. The repatriated families of IS fighters pose both a physical and ideological threat to the nations they are returned to. While children can be rehabilitated, the women who intentionally brought or raised families in the Islamic State should be held accountable for their actions by their nations of origin and charged with terrorism or other related offenses. While repatriation should happen, this shouldn't be done hastily.