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Turkey negotiating with Iraq for return of ISIL militants’ spouses and children

TM

An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube on August 23, 2013 allegedly shows a member of Ussud Al-Anbar (Anbar Lions), a Jihadist group affiliated to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Al-Qaeda's front group in Iraq, holding up the trademark black and white Islamist flag at an undisclosed location in Iraq's Anbar province. Attacks in Iraq killed 14 people including six soldiers on August 25, Iraqi officials said, amid a surge in violence authorities have so far failed to stem despite wide-ranging operations targeting militants. Arabic writing on the flag reads: "There is not God but God and Mohammed is the prophet of God." AFP PHOTO

Turkey has been in talks with the Iraqi government for the return of Turkish women and children whose husbands and fathers were Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists, the Gazete Duvar news website reported, citing Turkish Foreign Ministry sources.

According to the report, at least 400 women and 280 children have been living in refugee camps or prisons inside Iraqi territory, while nearly 250 children were brought back to Turkey and are currently undergoing psychological treatment.

Iraqi officials might let Turkish women and children return to Turkey, but they are not eager to hand over some 300 Turkish male ISIL militants to Ankara, the report said.

When an ISIL captive in a refugee camp or prison declares that his or her nationality is Turkish, officials from Ankara are notified and they launch an investigation to verify the identity.

For children, Turkish authorities employ DNA tests if the identities of their fathers or mothers are verified.

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