Two Dutch women suspected of terrorism, and their children, arrive from Syria

Two women suspected of terrorism have been transported to the Netherlands with their two children, caretaker Ministers Dilan Yeşilgöz (Justice and Security) and Hanke Bruins Slot (Foreign Affairs) told the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch Parliament. The four people were transported with help from the United States, according to the letter sent to parliamentarians on Tuesday.

The women were arrested upon arrival in the Netherlands, and their children being transferred to child protection services. The ministers could not say anything more about the operation.

“With the transfer to the Netherlands, the Cabinet is hoping that these two suspects do not escape punishment,” the ministers added.

The women had petitioned the court to terminate their trial. The District Court in Rotterdam put the case on hold for six months to give the Cabinet the chance to pick the women up.

The U.S. also transported 11 American citizens in addition to the Dutch suspects. This is the largest single repatriation of U.S. citizens from northeast Syria to date, said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a press release.

The U.S. estimates that around 30,000 people from 60 countries are staying in the camps al-Hawl and al-Roj, with the majority of them being children. Six Canadian citizens and one Finnish person were also brought back to their home nations. The U.S. said that they were assisted by the government in Kuwait and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition of militias and rebel groups.

Blinken said he was happy that the Netherlands, Canada, and Finland have repatriated their citizens. “We thank these governments for their partnership and applaud their demonstration of leadership by bringing their nationals home.”

Intelligence service AIVD claimed that hundreds of women have traveled to Syria and Iraq to join jihadist groups since 2012, most of them joining the Islamic State.