Syrian Kurds hand over French, Dutch Islamic State orphans

BEIRUT – A Syrian Kurdish official says authorities in northeastern Syria have handed 12 French and two Dutch orphans whose fathers were killed fighting for the Islamic State group back to their countries.

Abdulkarim Omar, a senior official in the Kurdish self-rule administration, tweeted on Monday that the children were handed over to French and Dutch officials the day before.

Thousands of IS members and their families are in camps and detention centers in northern Syria, including around 74,000 people who are being sheltered at al-Hol camp in Hasakeh province.

Last week, Kurdish authorities handed over to a Norwegian envoy five orphans of IS members who were killed in Syria. Last month, Iraq handed over to Turkey 188 Turkish children of suspected IS members.