News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Oct. 23, 2019: Several Trinidadian women are appealing to the government of the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to let the ISIS women and children now living in a Kurdish run refugee camp in Syria come “home.”
Middle East Eye reports indicate that the group of Trinidadian women, relatives of many in the camp, are urging the Keith Rowley government to step up efforts to repatriate their families held at a Kurdish-run camp in northern Syria, fearing they could be caught in fighting between the Turkish army and Kurdish militias.
At least 25 Trinidadians are reportedly stuck at camps for displaced persons in Northern Syria. The women told the news service that they feared that “devastating things” could happen to their families, including several children, unless the government of Trinidad and Tobago acted immediately. The families are at the al-Hol refugee camp, which has been rocked by unrest because of recent events.
At least 130 Trinidad and Tobagonian nationals went to Iraq and Syria between 2013 and 2016, leaving the Caribbean for those who would eventually join IS’s so-called caliphate.
Turkey agreed last Thursday to pause its offensive against the Kurdish fighters for five days at the behest of the United States, giving time for the People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia to clear from the Turkish-Syrian border.
But the temporary halt was set to expire last evening, and families fear a return to violence. (Middle East Eye)
