US Urges Iraq To Reintegrate Children Of IS Fighters, Treat Them As Refugees - Envoy To UN

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd May, 2019) Washington is calling on the government of Iraq to promote the successful reintegration of children of alleged fighters of the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia) and provide them the services offered to refugees, acting United States permanent representative at the United Nations Jonathan Cohen said during a UN Security Council meeting on Iraq.

"We also encourage the government of Iraq to ensure the successful reintegration of children of alleged members of ISIS [Islamic State] and children of former captives," Cohen said on Tuesday. "Many of these children are indeed victims, and we call on Iraq to offer them the same benefits afforded to refugees and IDPs [internally displaced persons]."

Cohen echoed United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Director Henrietta Fore's call, who, appealed to the UN Member States earlier on Tuesday to fulfill their responsibility under international treaties and protect the children of foreign fighters stranded in Syria and Iraq.

According to UNICEF, some 29,000 foreign children reside in camps, detention centers and orphanages in Syria. Of these, 20,000 are Iraqi children, while more than 9,000 come from 60 other countries. Another 1,000 children of foreign fighters are thought to be in Iraq.

Iraq has long suffered from various terrorist groups' activities. In 2014, vast territories of the state were occupied by the Islamic State. At the end of 2017, then Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi declared an end to the country's fight against the terror group as Iraq's troops re-established complete control over the country's border with Syria.