Kosovo Urged to Give Syria Returnees More Financial Help

Kosovo has taken a huge step toward the repatriation of its citizens who joined the terrorist group ISIS in Syria and Iraq, but the families of returnees are not receiving enough financial aid to meet their basic needs, a report issued by the International Republican Institute on Tuesday concluded.

The report said returned families, often composed of only women and childen, have "scant prospects of obtaining additional income from employment in the near future".

The Washington-based think tank committed to democracy and freedom said the benefits provided under Kosovo's social assistance scheme to repatriated families may not sufficiently meet their basic needs.

"For example, in one case, a family of six children and one caretaking young mother has to rely on a monthly welfare check of 150 euros [a month]. This untenable financial situation is not likely to lead to successful reintegration outcomes," the report said.

"Rehabilitation and reintegration of radicalized and traumatized individuals is a complex and costly process. In fact, the repatriation is only the first step in this long process. Addressing the challenge in the long run will require continued attention by government authorities and sustain support by donors," the author of the report, Adrian Shtuni, told BIRN.

In mid-July, Kosovo announced that it had repatriated 11 citizens from Syria, saying only that the 11 included one woman and her children. Besides these 11 returnees, Kosovo has already repatriated over 250 citizens from the conflict zones in Syria.

The IRI says that the number of Kosovar nationals still remaining in Syria and Iraq is estimated to be 102, of whom 47 are adult males, nine are women and 46 minors.

"An unspecified number of adult...