Canada has announced its approval to repatriate six Canadian women and 13 children who have been detained in northeastern Syria for years, marking the largest repatriation of jihadist families organized by the country to date.
Several Canadians held in Syria have taken legal action against the Canadian government, believing that the authorities' refusal to bring them back violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Friday that it "has finally approved a decision" concerning only the women and children of the group, not the four men involved in the legal pursuit.
A decision from a federal court regarding the fate of the four men is expected in the coming weeks.
So far, Justin Trudeau's government has been dealing with this issue on a case-by-case basis, having repatriated a limited number of women and children over the past four years.
According to Human Rights Watch, around 30 Canadians, including 10 children, remain in camps in Syria.
Human Rights Watch Canada Director Farida Deif revealed to AFP that "several women and children received messages from the government indicating that they meet the criteria to return home," suggesting further repatriation efforts.
The authorities have not specified when the women and children in question will be repatriated and have not provided any indication of potential legal actions that may be taken against the women upon their return to Canadian territory.
Last October, Canada repatriated two women and two children who were held in Syria. In 2020, Ottawa allowed the return of a five-year-old orphan girl after her uncle filed a lawsuit against the Canadian government.
