Central Asia Unites to Advance Child Repatriation from Syria, Iraq

Secretary of the Kyrgyz Security Council Baktybek Bekbolotov has participated in a regional conference dedicated to the repatriation of children from Syria and Iraq.

The event convened delegations from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the EU, the US, and international child protection experts, The Caspian Post informs via Kyrgyz media.

Attendees exchanged experience on repatriation procedures, psychosocial support, and ensuring access to education for children returning from conflict zones.

Participants emphasized the need for continued cooperation to improve reintegration programs and to prepare for future repatriation efforts.

Central Asian countries have taken a leading role in repatriation and reintegration initiatives. Since 2019, over 1,600 children have been repatriated to the region, many born or raised in conflict zones and facing significant challenges. Coordinated by the Secretariat of the Security Council of Kyrgyzstan, UNICEF works alongside national governments, with support from the EU and the US Government, to provide psychosocial care, education, healthcare, and social services to these children.

In 2021, President Sadyr Japarov initiated a program to repatriate citizens detained in camps in Iraq and Syria. Bekbolotov noted that this decision launched the comprehensive repatriation campaign. In March 2021, the Secretariat coordinated the first “Meerim” mission, returning 81 Kyrgyz children from Iraq. Between 2022 and 2024, six phases of the “Aikol” operation repatriated at least 460 individuals-145 women and 315 children-from Syrian camps. Additionally, ten women and children were returned from Syria and Türkiye during 2024-2025, bringing the total number of repatriated citizens to 551.

Concluding his remarks, Bekbolotov emphasized that repatriation is a vital humanitarian mission, saving thousands stranded far from home and offering children the chance to rebuild their lives in the safety of their families.