Morocco Launches Repartition Process for Women Held in Syria
Moroccan authorities have reportedly initiated an administrative process requiring families to complete repatriation forms for their relatives held in northeastern Syrian camps.
These include the infamous Al-Roj and Al-Hol camps, which are under Kurdish control and currently host around 8,000 people from 55 different countries—mostly families of former ISIS fighters.
Currently, at least 476 Moroccans remain stranded in Syria, including 103 women and 285 children. This long-neglected issue is resurfacing in the wake of a major diplomatic shift between Morocco and Syria following the ousting of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December.
This development offers long-awaited hope for women and children who have been trapped in these camps under dire humanitarian conditions. Families and human rights advocates have lamented Moroccan authorities for years of inaction with many calling for a phased repatriation process that prioritizes the most vulnerable.
While some activists urged for a security-focused, case-by-case assessment—citing concerns about extremist affiliations—others argued that women and children should be approached differently, recognizing that many were coerced or manipulated into joining ISIS or living in exile.
Signs of deepening Morocco-Syria normalization
The renewed ties between Morocco and Syria have been marked by significant diplomatic gestures, including the closure of the Polisario Front's office in Damascus and King Mohammed VI's decision to reopen Morocco's embassy there after nearly 13 years.
The embassy's reopening was officially announced in May, signaling a major foreign policy realignment. Mohammed VI conveyed the decision in a letter to Syria's interim President, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, which was read by Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita during the 34th Arab League Summit in Baghdad.
The letter reaffirmed Morocco's solidarity with Syria's territorial integrity and national sovereignty, while expressing support for the Syrian people's aspirations for freedom, security and stability.
This diplomatic thaw has brought renewed attention to unresolved humanitarian concerns—chief among them, the repatriation of Moroccan nationals held in Syrian camps and prisons.
According to a report by the Tetouan-based North Observatory of Human Rights, 38% of Moroccan jihadists who joined ISIS in 2015 were women.
The report also emphasized how ISIS often targeted Moroccan women with emotionally manipulative messages, aiming to recruit them alongside their husbands and children, seizing the strategic role women have played in persuading entire families to join the group.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ya Biladi
5 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
UNOC 2025 : Morocco to lead Africa's call for ocean protection in Nice
From June 9 to 13, 2025, the city of Nice will host the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), co-organized with Costa Rica. A decade after the Paris Agreement on climate change, this event comes at a critical moment. While the oceans, our planet's true lungs alongside forests, sustain life on Earth, they have never been more under threat. The oceans are bearing the full weight of human activity: overfishing, plastic pollution, rising sea levels, deep-sea exploitation, and more. According to the 2022 IPCC report, maritime transport, responsible for 70% of global trade, is also accountable for 16% of the greenhouse gas emissions linked to goods transportation. This sector poses a particular challenge to the food sovereignty of many nations, especially in the Mediterranean. The ecological emergency must now rise to the top of the global agenda. In this effort, France can count on the support of a long-standing partner: Morocco. Both countries, with coastlines on the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, share a common vision, an ocean that is protected, better understood, and a catalyst for sustainable development. For several months, Paris and Rabat have been working together to prepare for the conference. International discussions will focus on three key areas: the protection of marine biodiversity, the financing of a more responsible blue economy, and the strengthening of scientific knowledge of the ocean floor. This last point will be embodied by the creation of an «Ocean IPCC», bringing together heads of state, researchers, and philanthropic leaders to monitor the health of the oceans. More than 2,000 scientists are expected to take part in the One Ocean Science Congress, where they will establish precise indicators, according to an official statement. Morocco also intends to amplify the voice of the African continent. On the sidelines of the conference, King Mohammed VI will convene a summit of African leaders, underscoring that Africa, often the first to suffer the consequences of environmental disruption, must be included in shaping solutions. The Kingdom will showcase its ecological initiatives, such as the upcoming Dakhla Atlantic port, designed to reduce carbon emissions. One of the conference's key goals is to expand protected marine areas from 3% in 2023 to 10% by 2030. The conference also pursues two concrete objectives: the implementation of the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty, adopted in 2023, and the creation of a €100 billion fund to support sustainable maritime projects. A Blue Finance Forum will bring together governments, private sector players, and investors to help turn these goals into reality.
Ya Biladi
5 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
Two Sahrawis from Tindouf arrested in Spain on terrorism charges
In Spain, Basque police arrested two young Sahrawis from the Tindouf camps on Wednesday in the province of Álava. They are accused of «collaboration with jihadist organizations» and «glorifying terrorism». On Friday, the two suspects appeared before an investigating judge specializing in terrorism cases at the National Court in Madrid. Following the hearing, the magistrate ordered that one of the suspects remain in custody, while the other was released under judicial supervision. Notably, most Spanish media outlets covering the arrests, particularly those in the Basque region, did not disclose the origins of the individuals detained. «One of the suspects is reportedly a close associate of the new Polisario representative in Algiers, Khatri Addouh. Since Wednesday, Polisario representatives in Spain have been actively pressuring Basque media not to disclose the alleged terrorists' links to the Tindouf camps», a Moroccan source told Yabiladi. It is worth recalling that for several months, American think tanks and political figures have been lobbying the Trump administration to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization.
Morocco World
5 hours ago
- Morocco World
Morocco Launches Repartition Process for Women Held in Syria
Moroccan authorities have reportedly initiated an administrative process requiring families to complete repatriation forms for their relatives held in northeastern Syrian camps. These include the infamous Al-Roj and Al-Hol camps, which are under Kurdish control and currently host around 8,000 people from 55 different countries—mostly families of former ISIS fighters. Currently, at least 476 Moroccans remain stranded in Syria, including 103 women and 285 children. This long-neglected issue is resurfacing in the wake of a major diplomatic shift between Morocco and Syria following the ousting of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December. This development offers long-awaited hope for women and children who have been trapped in these camps under dire humanitarian conditions. Families and human rights advocates have lamented Moroccan authorities for years of inaction with many calling for a phased repatriation process that prioritizes the most vulnerable. While some activists urged for a security-focused, case-by-case assessment—citing concerns about extremist affiliations—others argued that women and children should be approached differently, recognizing that many were coerced or manipulated into joining ISIS or living in exile. Signs of deepening Morocco-Syria normalization The renewed ties between Morocco and Syria have been marked by significant diplomatic gestures, including the closure of the Polisario Front's office in Damascus and King Mohammed VI's decision to reopen Morocco's embassy there after nearly 13 years. The embassy's reopening was officially announced in May, signaling a major foreign policy realignment. Mohammed VI conveyed the decision in a letter to Syria's interim President, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, which was read by Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita during the 34th Arab League Summit in Baghdad. The letter reaffirmed Morocco's solidarity with Syria's territorial integrity and national sovereignty, while expressing support for the Syrian people's aspirations for freedom, security and stability. This diplomatic thaw has brought renewed attention to unresolved humanitarian concerns—chief among them, the repatriation of Moroccan nationals held in Syrian camps and prisons. According to a report by the Tetouan-based North Observatory of Human Rights, 38% of Moroccan jihadists who joined ISIS in 2015 were women. The report also emphasized how ISIS often targeted Moroccan women with emotionally manipulative messages, aiming to recruit them alongside their husbands and children, seizing the strategic role women have played in persuading entire families to join the group.
