WASHINGTON, May 7 (KUNA) -- The US applauded Kuwait's support and its role over the repatriation of its nationals, including Europeans from northeast Syria on Tuesday.
A statement by the State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller said, "we thank the Government of Kuwait for its support, we thank these governments for their partnership and applaud their demonstration of leadership by bringing their nationals home." The United States repatriated 11 US citizens from northeast Syria, including five minors.
"As a part of this operation, the United States also facilitated the repatriation of six Canadian citizens, four Dutch citizens, and one Finnish citizen, among them eight children," Miller added.
"Additionally, we resettled in the United States the nine-year-old non-US citizen sibling of one of the US citizen minors," Miller said.
"This is the largest single repatriation of US citizens from northeast Syria to date," Miller noted.
"In conducting this complex repatriation and resettlement the Department coordinated closely with our interagency partners," Miller added.
"I would like to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation, US Customs and Border Protection, US Citizenship and Immigration Service, and the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Health and Human Services for their assistance," Miller said.
"Approximately 30,000 individuals from more than 60 countries outside Syria remain in the al-Hol and Roj displaced persons camps, the majority of whom are children.
As governments undertake repatriation of their nationals, we urge thoughtfulness and flexibility to ensure that to the maximum extent possible family units remain intact," Miller added.
"The only durable solution to the humanitarian and security crisis in the displaced persons camps and detention facilities in northeast Syria is for countries to repatriate, rehabilitate, reintegrate, and where appropriate, ensure accountability for wrongdoing," Miller said.
"The United States remains committed to helping those nations which seek to repatriate their nationals from northeast Syria, and to finding solutions, including resettlement, for those who are unable to return to their communities or countries of origin," Miller added. (end) amm.mb