Today the United States repatriated 11 American citizens from northeastern Syria, including five minors. In addition, we resettled the nine-year-old non-US citizen brother of one of the US citizen minors to the United States. This is the largest single repatriation of American citizens from northeastern Syria to date.
In conducting this complex repatriation and resettlement, the Department coordinated closely with our interagency partners. I would like to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation, US Customs and Border Protection, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Health and Human Services for their assistance.
About 30,000 people from more than 60 countries outside of Syria remain in al-Hol and Roj displaced persons camps, the majority of whom are children. As governments undertake the repatriation of their nationals, we urge thoughtfulness and flexibility to ensure that as much as possible family units remain intact.
The only viable solution to the humanitarian and security crisis in the IDP camps and detention facilities in northeast Syria is for countries to repatriate, rehabilitate, reintegrate and, where appropriate, ensure accountability for wrongdoing. The United States remains committed to assisting those nations seeking to repatriate their nationals from northeastern Syria and to finding solutions, including resettlement, for those who cannot return to their communities or countries of origin.
As part of this operation, the United States also facilitated the repatriation of six Canadian citizens, four Dutch citizens, and one Finnish national, including eight children. We thank these governments for their cooperation and applaud their show of leadership in bringing their nationals home. We thank the Government of Kuwait for their support, as well as the Syrian Democratic Forces for their assistance.
