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A flag of the Islamic State organization on the road to the al-Fatiha military base, south of Hawija, on October 2, 2017 (image for illustration). REUTERS / Stringer

Like all the countries some of whose nationals have opted to fight in the Islamic State, Russia is now faced with the delicate problem of returning home. Moscow announced on Sunday (December 30th) the repatriation from Iraq of 30 children from jihadist families.

With our correspondent in Moscow, Leo Vidal Giraud

Among the foreigners engaged with the Islamic State, the Russians represent one of the most important contingents. For the most part, they are people from the Caucasus, a region that since the 1990s has been fertile ground for Islamism.

Moreover, it is the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov who announced the return to Russia of these children. Kadyrov, who claims his rigorous practice of Islam, but who also assumes pro-Russian patriotism. This makes him both a channel for retaining Russian Muslims who might be tempted by jihadism, but also a perfect intermediary for such repatriation operations.

First and foremost, there is emergency medical assistance because, according to the Russian authorities, many of these young children have suffered mistreatment in prison as well as psychological assistance in a dedicated medical center.

Since 2017, according to the Russian authorities, about 100 women and children have been repatriated from Iraq and Syria, still through Chechnya. Humanitarian organizations estimate that there are still 115 Russian children in Iraqi prisons. Russian authorities say they want to continue their repatriation.