Northern Syria: what happens with the IS fighters?
Turkey's military offensive in northern Syria raises the question of what should be done with the many IS fighters imprisoned in the area. Many could now escape because of lacking surveillance at temporary prisons. Because many of the jihadists are Europeans, Turkish media say Europe should deal with the problem. In the IS terrorists' countries of origin some take a different view.
Stateless jihadists lying in wait
The IS fighters are now a millstone around Turkey's neck because Europe isn't doing a thing about them, T24 comments:
“What is certain that European IS fighters have chosen to come and live in Turkey. Because from here they can go fight in Syria any time they want, and then return to Turkey. Europe doesn't want these people. And these people don't want to go back to Europe. The question is: what is Turkey supposed to do with the stateless IS fighters?”
Turkey won't clean up Europe's mess this time
The pro-government daily Sabah has a clear message for Europe:
“If Europe thinks it can get away with just saying: 'That's your problem' on the IS issue, and wash its hands of it, just as it did on the refugee issue, then this time it's very mistaken. ... We are the only Nato country that fought against the IS and lost lives, that fought its battle on the ground and banished the IS from its borders. But we we're not about to clean up Europe's 'mess' as well.”
Belgium should first care for the victims
Bringing home the IS fighters' wives and children should not be a priority for the West, former liberal senator Alain Destexhe writes in Le Vif/L'Express:
“The real victims are those who were killed, wounded, raped, tortured or displaced by the Islamic State. The fighters' children, if they're still alive, will have to bear the consequences of the crimes committed by the IS for the rest of the lives. If European governments must choose between supporting a Yazidi rape victim (and her unwanted child) or a woman who voluntarily left Europe to spit on Western society and the values of her country of origin by joining the Islamic State, they should choose the first option.”