Ambassador Sabbagh: Addressing the phenomenon of foreign terrorist families in Syria requires to rehabilitate them by their countries

New York (ST): Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Bassam Sabbagh, affirmed that addressing the phenomenon of foreign terrorist families in Syria requires a real political commitment from the countries of whose nationalities they hold, through their recovery, rehabilitation, and integration and their families.

In a statement he made during the Security Council’s high-level open debate on children and armed conflict, Sabbagh explained that the situation in the al-Hol camp, which is controlled by separatist militias operatives of the American occupation forces, is a vivid example of the suffering of children, as they face real dangers, foremost of which is the implantation of takfiri ideology. The extremists are what make them time bombs that threaten security and stability in the region and beyond unless their situation is addressed immediately.

Sabbagh pointed out that addressing the phenomenon of families of foreign terrorists, including women and children, requires coordination with the Syrian state and not by concluding suspicious deals with terrorist entities or separatist militias.

Sabbagh stressed that the Syrian national legislation is framed by the principle of providing protection for the child in the implementation of the provisions of the constitution and that the national plan set by the state to protect the child stemmed from a comprehensive understanding of the existing challenges and keenness to address the repercussions of the terrorist war that was imposed on Syria and to ensure the security and well-being of Syrians, explaining that it is in line with its obligations under international law, Syria has approved a number of laws and legislation related to child protection and care.

The permanent representative of Syria to the United Nations indicated that in 2013 the Penal Code was amended in terms of criminalizing the recruitment of children and their involvement in hostilities and the development of a national plan to deal with child victims of recruitment. Last year, the Child Rights Law was issued, which aims to strengthen the role of the state in its various institutions in child protection and care, ensuring upbringing, development and scientific, cultural, psychological and social rehabilitation to build his personality in a way that enables him to contribute in all areas of development.

Sabbagh expressed regret that the children of Syria were victims of the hostile policies pursued by well-known countries and have suffered and still are as a result of the coercive measures imposed on their country. The suffering of children under Israeli occupation in the occupied Arab territories in Palestine and the Syrian Golan continues, as they are exposed to various forms of violations at the hands of the occupation forces.

K.Q.