Abdulkarim Omar, Co-Chair of the Foreign Relations Council of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, met with Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto in Helsinki as part of a diplomatic tour in Europe.

At the meeting, the ISIS mercenaries detained by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and their wives and children at the Hol Camp in Hesekê in north-eastern Syria were addressed.

Omar emphasized that the states of origin should take responsibility for the ISIS women and children with their citizenship. He said the Autonomous Administration does not have the capacity to care for and secure these people on its own. He pointed out that all necessary information and evidence was available in Rojava to bring the ISIS mercenaries held there to justice.

"We can call Hol the new capital of the ISIS”

Omar said: "The situation at the Hol Camp is pretty bad. We can say that it is the new capital of the ISIS. Hol is a time bomb. If the kids grow up in camp, they can become even worse terrorists than their fathers." The Kurdish politician underlined the need for help from the EU states and also the Scandinavian countries.

Proposal for a joint court

Omar suggested to the Finnish Foreign Minister that a joint court be set up to hear cases against ISIS mercenaries from Finland. This court should be in Syria, where witnesses and evidence are located, he noted.

"It is injustice for countries not to take back their citizens"

Omar criticized the countries of the anti-ISIS coalition and accused them of abandoning Rojava and northern Syria after the victory over the ISIS. "The European states do not want their citizens back because they are a threat to themselves. This is an injustice to us."

In December last year, the question of Finnish citizens in Hol Camp had led to a government crisis. The four opposition parties in the Finnish parliament had accused the government of organising the removal of women and children from the camp without the involvement of parliament and had tabled a motion of censure on Haavisto.

Families of ISIS members from Somalia organized in Scandinavia

The relatives of originally Somali women and children with Scandinavian citizenship who are being held in the camp are protesting against the unwillingness of their governments in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland to take them back. The families at least demand that their relatives be brought from Hol to Somalia. They report that the Somali government has agreed to do so and has ordered the transport to Somalia.

A representative of about 50 Somali families in Scandinavia explains: "There are 15 of us working together here in Sweden. We have contacts with Finland, Norway and Denmark. We consider ourselves Scandinavians."

"We can begin proceedings within two months"

According to Finnish media, the offer to establish a joint court in Rojava was rejected. In response, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has announced that they are now preparing the proceedings against the ISIS members themselves. Abdulkarim Omar added that preparations were proceeding quickly and that the trial of ISIS men could start within two months.

RELATED NEWS: