BAGHDAD, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Iraq Wednesday repatriated 188 Turkish children, whose parents were members of the Islamic State (IS) militant group, in coordination with Turkish authorities and international organizations, a judiciary spokesman said.
"The Iraqi Central Investigation Court, responsible for the terrorism issue and foreign suspects, has handed the Turkish side 188 children born to IS parents," Abdul Sattar al-Biraqdar, spokesman for Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council, said in a statement.
The process was conducted under the supervision of the Iraqi judiciary and in the presence of representatives of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, Turkish embassy and international organizations including the UNICEF, al-Biraqdar added.
Thousands of IS fighters and supporters of various nationalities joined the extremist group when it took control of large swathes in Iraq and neighboring Syria.
However, after the defeat of the IS in both countries, hundreds of IS loyalists were killed or captured.
Iraq is currently conducting trials of thousands of suspected IS militants including hundreds of foreigners.
But the fate of hundreds of their women and children still hangs in the balance, as some governments of their home countries are reluctant to take them back.
