Belgium to evacuate Isis suspects from Syria detention camps

Other European states also preparing to repatriate citizens accused of Isis links via safe zone

Martin Chulov Middle East correspondent and Michael Safi
Fri 18 Oct 2019 18.11 BST
Last modified on Fri 18 Oct 2019 22.17 BST

Belgium and other European states are preparing to evacuate citizens accused of having links to Islamic State from detention camps in north-eastern Syria through a newly declared safe zone being carved out by Turkish forces along the border.

Belgian officials informed family members of detainees held in two camps on Friday that they would attempt to take advantage of a five-day ceasefire to retrieve nationals allegedly tied to the terror group. The Guardian has learned that other European states, including France and Germany, are also looking at ways to take advantage of the window declared by US vice-president Mike Pence on Thursday to repatriate women and children.

Whether Britain is willing to re-examine its policy of largely ignoring its 30 or so nationals detained in Syria remains unclear, but the decision by allies to move quickly is likely to increase pressure on Whitehall to do the same. What to do with accused Isis fighters and their families has been a pressing global security concern in the wake of Donald Trump’s decision to suddenly withdraw all US forces from Syria, with fears that an ensuing vacuum could lead to a collapse of security at the four main camps.

Kurdish guards have already abandoned one detention centre, allowing up to 800 detainees, among them Isis members, to walk out. The French foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said nine French women with alleged links to the group were among them. Two Britons are also thought to have fled.

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