Germany and Denmark repatriate women and children with ties to IS

Germany and Denmark have repatriated 11 women who joined the IS terror group and their 37 children from northern Syria in the biggest such transfer since 2019, Berlin said.

"The children are not responsible for their situation... the mothers will have to answer for their acts," Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a statement overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.

Germany brought home eight women and 23 children, while Denmark took back to its territory three women and 14 children as part of the same operation carried out with US military support, Berlin said.

German federal prosecutors said three of the women were arrested on arrival at Frankfurt Airport and charged with membership in a terror organisation and for neglecting the care and upbringing of their children (one of the women is pictured above arriving at Frankfurt Airport).

One of the accused, Romiena S., had allegedly showed her daughter IS execution videos as she raised her with the radical Islamist teachings of the group.

She is also accused of keeping watch on a Yazidi woman enslaved by the IS and requiring her to say Muslim prayers.

The other two arrested were named as Solale M. and Verena M.

Separately, Danish authorities said they have arrested the three women repatriated there, charging them with "promotion of terrorist activities" as well as their "entry and residence in a conflict zone".

Denmark is still looking at repatriating another five children born to parents who are still in Syria but the mothers concerned have been stripped of their Danish nationalities and have not given their agreement for their children's return. (AFP)