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End of Islamic State

The uncertain future of the children of ISIS

In a Kurdish hospital in northeastern Syria, 75 children of killed or detained Jihadists are struggling to survive

Apr 02, 2019 - 16:21CEST

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At least 75 children of ISIS fighters are being treated in this Kurdish hospital in northeastern Syria after being evacuated from Baghouz; over 100 minors have already died at this center from malnutrition and respiratory problems.Natalia Sancha

Many of these children have been evacuated from camps for displaced ISIS members. Their mothers, who hail from all over the world, are still confined in those camps, although some of the children are orphans.Natalia Sancha

Maya is the pseudonym that this nurse chose because she fears reprisals from ISIS. Maya is in charge of a group of 12 caregivers and three other health professionals. "Many Jihadists have escaped from camps and we fear that they will come here to seek revenge for the children who died," she says.Natalia Sancha

Stigmatized for being the descendants of ISIS fighters, the mere existence of these children poses a problem for their parents' countries of origin.Natalia Sancha

Katerina, a 32-year-old Ukranian Jihadist, is being treated for head injuries caused by shrapnel during the evacuation from Baghouz.Natalia Sancha

"Whatever the crimes that their parents committed, the more than 3,500 foreign children who languish in the different camps in northeastern Syria are clearly innocent victims of the conflict and they should be repatriated to their countries of origin to guarantee their safety and wellbeing," says Paul Donohoe, spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee.Natalia Sancha

Meriam Alí, a 20-year-old Norwegian citizen of Somalian origin, was allowed out of an ISIS camp to go visit her nephew, who is being treated in a Kurdish hospital.Natalia Sancha

Almost none of the children in the hospital are more than three years old.Natalia Sancha

While some children are orphans, others in the hospital are visited by their mothers who are being detained in Kurdish camps.Natalia Sancha

Some countries have decided to repatriate the orphans or allow them to return, while others have not taken responsibility for them. Natalia Sancha

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