PRISTINA AIRPORT, Kosovo (Reuters) – An airplane has returned women and children who are relatives to Kosovo jihadists in Syria to Kosovo early on Saturday, the country’s justice minister said.
Anti-terror police officers guarded the cargo building at the Pristina airport and an airplane with a U.S. flag on its tail was seen at the airport.
“The planned operation for the return of some of our citizens from Syria has ended successfully,” Justice Minister Abelrad Tahiri said at the airport early on Saturday. He added that all the details will be given in a press conference during the day.
More than 300 Kosovo citizens, men, women and children travelled to Syria after 2012. Some 70 men who fought alongside extremists militant groups were killed.
Police said some 150 women and children, including around 60 children that were born in war zones, were captured as the Islamic State lost ground.
It remained unclear if all of them were returned on Friday.
The minister nor the police gave any details if any combatants were also returned.
(Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
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Categories: Europe, Europe and Australia, Syria
Great! Kosovo is taking responsibility for its citizens when better equipped countries hesitate.