87 Kosovars remain in Syria

Kosovo Police Director Rashit Qalaj on Saturday at a joint conference with Justice Minister Abelard Tahiri has announced that there are four other fighters among the returnees.

“From the conflict zone in Syria, 110 Kosovo citizens have returned to Kosovo, out of them four fighters, 32 women and 74 children, including nine children who have lost parents to war”, Qalaj said.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Abelard Tahiri said it has been working several months for the return of Kosovars who were in the conflict zone in Syria.

Minister Tahiri said the return of Kosovars from Syria has been done in close co-operation with the United States. According to Minister Tahiri, the returning women and children have been victims of fraud and mistreatment.

These citizens, women and children have been victims of the irresponsibilities of persons, who for any matter of interest have exploited them by denying their future without their will, leaving them with major consequences, in certain cases even victims. These women deserve rehabilitation for a peaceful life, and these children in conflict areas have their place in schools to educate themselves on their future”, the minister said.

The director of the Kosovo Police, announced that about 30 fighters -- 49 women and 8 children -- still remain in the conflict zone.

Four out of the 110 returnees from Syria who are in charge of allegedly being lined up side by side with the militant group, the Islamic State, have been investigated by the Prosecutor.

So stated Chief State Prosecutor Alexander Lumezi, who said the investigations were suspended because the suspects were not accessible to the prosecution authorities.

We have previously launched investigations against them after we had information from the Kosovo Police that they have participated in terrorist groups outside the territory of the Republic of Kosovo”, Lumez said.

Chief Prosecutor Lumezi said that so far the State Prosecutor has filed 119 charges against persons allegedly involved in wars outside Kosovo's territory. According to him, 156 cases are also in the investigation phase.

Returners from Syria, early in the morning hours of Saturday, have been sent to the asylum centre in the village of Vranidol, located on the outskirts of Pristina.

Numerous police forces, including special units, are keeping this centre surrounded, where Syria-turned women and children are staying.

The return of Kosovars from Syria took place through the “Adem Jashari” airport, which was surrounded by police frigates Friday evening until early hours Saturday morning.

The Embassy of the United States in Pristina has welcomed the return of Kosovo's citizens from conflict zones in Syria, considering that Kosovo by this step has shown significant example in the world.

With this statement, the embassy has referred to the return of 110 Kosovars in the early hours of Saturday morning in Kosovo.

Under this repatriation, Kosovo has shown an example to follow, for the entire international community and members of the Global Coalition for the defeat of the militant group, the Islamic State (IS)”, the embassy has said.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, through a Facebook post, said that it is now very important to deal professionally with all returnees from Syria.

The return of over 100 of our citizens from Syria, most of whom women and children, became possible thanks to a wonderful work of our institutions, which worked closely with international partners. Now very important is the professional treatment of all returnees. Likewise, any support from relatives and their communities helps returnees to reintegration into our society as soon as possible. Kosovo is oriented towards Western values and is committed alongside the international partners in fighting any terrorism and extremism that violates these” values, Thaci said.

Weeks ago, US President Donald Trump has called on countries in Europe to take and judge the militant group Islamic State.

The Kosovo government has said the world will act as well as other member states of the global coalition against the Islamic State.

More than 400 citizens of Kosovo, mostly adults, have gone to the last six years in Syria and Iraq to fight on the side of the militant Islamic State group.

More than 70 have been killed, while many women and children have continued to remain in the area.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has said it is ready to help bring Kosovars back from Syria.

Kosovo has drafted a law in 2015, with which any person participating in foreign wars could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.

The Islamic state, which in 2014 has declared the so-called potassium in parts of Syria and Iraq, is reportedly losing control of the last territory in March.