Repatriate the Children - Sweden

Seven years ago today, we landed in Sweden with the seven orphaned children rescued from northeastern Syria. Their parents had travelled to live under ISIS’ so-called caliphate, and these children had endured massive suffering through war, displacement, and loss. 📸 Rena Effendi

Children who are repatriated with their caregivers and supported show strong prospects for recovery and reintegration. We have seen children return to school, rebuild family relationships, recover from trauma, and begin to imagine a future.

Our experience following up with returned children across multiple countries shows that repatriation is the only durable response to this child protection, security, and due process crisis.

Seven years ago today, we landed in Sweden with the seven orphaned children rescued from northeastern Syria. Their parents had travelled to live under ISIS’ so-called caliphate, and these children had endured massive suffering through war, displacement, and loss. 📸 Rena Effendi

Samedi dernier, une française est morte, faute de soins, dans le camp de prisonniers #Roj, Nord-Est de la Syrie, laissant deux petites filles orphelines. Elle était détenue depuis 2019 dans ce camp-prison où végètent encore des dizaines d'enfants français. Une ignominie qui perdure depuis des années. leparisien.fr/faits-divers/a…

Nine children and their mothers and grandmother repatriated from Roj camp, NE Syria, and on their way home to Australia. abc.net.au/news/2026-04-2…

RTC Sweden commenting in @guardian today on the urgent need to bring home families trapped in dire situations and unlawful detention in #Syria theguardian.com/world/2026/apr…

"Syrian authorities on Monday evening declared Al-Hol camp and its surroundings in the northeastern Hasakah province a fully “closed military zone.”"aa.com.tr/en/middle-east…

During Easter, Finland repatriated a juvenile Finnish national from Iraq. He was detained in Northeast Syria since early 2019 and transferred to Baghdad earlier this year among 5,700 ISIS-affiliated male prisoners. um.fi/current-affair…

På måndag 9 mars kl 18.30 har Svenska FN-förbundet bjudit in RTC Sweden och UNCHR för att diskutera situationen för tusentals familjer från 50-talet länder som är kvarlämnade i Syrien efter det s.k. kalifatets fall

#Syrie "Après sept années de mauvaise gestion internationale liées à la détention, à un moment donné, de plus de 70000 personnes dans le nord-est de la Syrie, la situation a atteint un point de rupture. Le rapatriement est la façon dont les familles, en particulier les enfants, sont protégées contre l’exploitation et les nouveaux cycles de violence. Les droits de l’enfant sont des engagements juridiques qui s’appliquent à chaque enfant." justsecurity.org/132656/syria-a…

In this piece by The Observer, RTC Sweden urges governments to step up and protect children and mothers from harm - because they can, and it’s the right thing to do. observer.co.uk/news/internati…

Tre svenska barn kvar i IS-lägret - de kan räddas om Sverige regering godkänner att de får komma hem, vilket de har en ovillkorlig rätt till enligt internationell lag. aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/8pJJ…

Beatrice Eriksson for RTC Sweden in Just Security on the end of al-Hol camp, but not the end of international responsibility justsecurity.org/132656/syria-a…

“People should come to the camp and see how I feel. They’d realise how hard my life was and that they should appreciate their life in Australia,” Mohammed 14 y/o says. “I’m a normal person, but just in the wrong country. It’s not [my fault].” theguardian.com/australia-news…

In this latest Human Rights Watch communication, RTC Sweden address the complex consequences and the effects of family separation for children post war and detention. hrw.org/news/2026/02/2…

RTC Sweden skriver idag på @Aftonbladet Debatt om de tre svenska barnen, 7, 8 och 10 år, som fortfarande hålls i fånglägret Roj i nordöstra Syrien. Nu är det helt avgörande att Sverige agerar. Beslutet fattas i Stockholm. Yasmin, Zein och Zahra väntar. aftonbladet.se/debatt/a/bOGAM…

RTC Sweden in the @FT “These women are exhausted and worried about their children. It is now more urgent than ever to have international collaboration to protect these children who are at more risk now than they have ever been.” ft.com/content/8c7b09…

RTC Sweden commenting on NRK about children’s vulnerability and protection needs following the uncontrolled dissolution of the al-Hol detention camp in Northeast Syria. nrk.no/norge/terrorsi…