Sweden Declines Repatriation of Nationals from Syrian ISIS Camps

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström has stated that Sweden will not facilitate the return of Swedish nationals, both children and adults, from ISIS detention camps in Northeast Syria.

He emphasized that the Swedish government would not act to transfer individuals connected to Sweden from camps or detention centers in the region back to the country.

Billström clarified that Sweden bears no legal responsibility to repatriate these individuals, a stance that applies to women, children, and men alike.

Currently, the Al-Hol camp, operated by the Syrian Democratic Forces, holds over 43,000 people, including Syrians, Iraqis, and foreigners from 45 different nations, all linked to ISIS and their relatives.

Billström noted that Swedish nationals in Al-Hol had been offered the chance to return to Sweden but had consistently declined the offer.

According to TV4, a public television channel, the jihadist detention camps currently contain five children with ties to Sweden along with their mothers, while ten men are detained in prisons managed by Kurdish authorities.

The minister argued that the potential security risks to Sweden posed by repatriating these individuals justify the decision not to bring any of them back.

He expressed concerns over the security threat to Sweden from Swedish adults and individuals with Swedish connections who remain in camps or detention centers in Northeast Syria should they return.