Moscow Brought Back 90 Russian Children From Iraq - Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th July, 2019) Moscow has managed to return 90 Russian children to their homeland from Iraq, but about 30 more remain there, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

"So far we have managed to return 90 children to their homeland. In Iraq, according to our data, there are still about 30 children. We plan to transport them home in the coming months," Lavrov said in an interview to the AiF newspaper.

The minister noted that the situation is more difficult with the mothers of these children since they are "convicted for violations of Iraqi laws, [including] illegal border crossing, illegal stay in the territory of the country and participation in terrorist activities.

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"There are 66 Russian women in prisons. The Russian Embassy in Baghdad constantly monitors the situation with the detainees and provides them with the necessary assistance," he added.

In 2017, Moscow embarked on a mission to return home the Russian children smuggled to Iraq and Syria by parents who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (terrorist group banned in Russia). According to Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Anna Kuznetsova, her office will complete the mission in August.