Egypt prepares for return of IS fighters' children
Egypt is preparing to welcome and provide rehabilitation services for 15 Egyptian children who were found in Islamic State camps in Libya.
CAIRO — Egypt is preparing for the handover of 15 Egyptian children from Libya in early November. Their Islamic State-affiliated parents were either killed or arrested during the Libyan army’s operations against the organization in Misrata.
The family members of terrorists are highly stigmatized. They can be denied social and professional opportunities such as joining the police, armed forces or judiciary. For children, early interaction with terrorists can leave traces of aggression, antisocial behavior and misconceptions about Islam.
After liberating Misrata in December 2016, the Libyan army found 125 children, including 15 Egyptians, 22 Tunisians, 13 Sudanese, 17 Algerians and 12 Libyans, among other European and African children.
After the liberation operation, the children were sent to a rehabilitation camp, where a psychological and educational program was to help reintegrate them into their local communities. The program has been running since January 2017 under the auspices of the Libyan Red Crescent.
