Media Release: Plea to this administration to step up efforts to repatriate women and children who are being held in Syria.

Media Release:

Re: Plea to this administration to step up efforts to repatriate women and children who are being held in Syria. 

Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front) is calling on the government to answer the calls from a group of Trinidadian women who has made a plea to this administration to step up efforts to repatriate their families who are being held at a Kurdish-run camp in northern Syria.

In an article published on the 23rd October, 2019 from the Middle East Eye, it stated; “they are fearful they (their families) could be caught in fighting between the Turkish army and Kurdish militias. The women said they feared that “devastating things” could happen to their families, including several children, unless the government of Trinidad and Tobago acted immediately. 

The families mentioned are at the al-Hol refugee camp, which has been rocked by unrest because of recent events. Nearly two weeks ago, Turkey launched an offensive in northern Syria against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), eliciting a strong military response from Syrian government forces. Based on this recent publication, Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front) is calling on this administration to not ignore the cries of our citizens and to provide assistance as soon as possible. 

Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front) also notes the conditions of those at the camps, specifically the children who are innocently caught in the midst of this war. Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front) is also questioning the purpose and lack of intervention of the Nightingale programme which was established to seek out and or encourage repatriations of this nature.

For Immediate Release:

Date: October 24rd, 2019

Umar Abdullah

Head of Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front)

Tel: +18683656253 or +18687870765