800 female IS fighters detained in northern Syria: report

Fighters of Islamic-State:

Some 800 women, who had joined Islamic State, are being detained in Kurdish regions of northern Syria with their children, German Newspaper Die Welt reports on Saturday.

The report which cited a terrorism expert from Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that among the 800 were 15 German women.

HRW’s Nadim Houry said he had met and spoken to the women in January.

“The female IS members and their children were detained across several camps in the region,” he said.

“The women were from 40 different countries including Canada, France, Britain, Tukey and Australian, Houry said.

“These women are in a very difficult situation. Especially for the small children the conditions are by no means good,” he said.

The women wanted to return home even if that meant having to face prosecution, he added.

Houry called on European governments to allow the children to return.

“The children have not committed any crimes, they are the victims of the war and often their radicalized parents.” (dpa/NAN)