BRITISH foreign secretary Dominic Raab said on Thursday (21) that the UK had "facilitated" the return of British orphans whose parents had died in Syria "because it was the right thing to do".
"These innocent, orphaned, children should never have been subjected to the horrors of war," Raab said in a statement confirming the first children had begun to arrive back in Britain.
"We have facilitated their return home, because it was the right thing to do," he added.
"Now they must be allowed the privacy and given the support to return to a normal life."
Britain's Foreign Office did not release any further details.
In a message posted on social media, the de facto foreign minister of the Kurdish administration in northern Syria said three children had been handed over to British authorities on Thursday.
"Three British orphans from ISIS parents were handed over to a delegation representing the British Foreign Ministry," Abdulkarim Omar said on Twitter, referring to the Islamic State (IS) group.
The UK government had been under pressure to act following a report last month from the Save The Children charity said at least 60 British children were stranded in northeast Syria.
Twice the number previously estimated, the NGO said many were aged under five and born to British parents suspected of having joined IS and then died or fled fighting without them.
In a parliamentary debate in October, MPs had warned the vulnerable children risked "turning into terrorists" if they were not brought home from Syria.
Alison Griffin, of Save The Children, said Britain's decision was "transforming the lives of these innocent children who have been through terrible things that are far beyond their control".
She added: "They will now have the precious chance to recover, have happy childhoods and live full lives.
"We should be proud of everyone who has worked to make this happen."
(AFP)
Davindra and Seema Misra, and Vijay and Gita Parekh
Varchas Patel with his father Vipin and mother Jayshriben
Hasmukh Shingadia and his wife Chandrika were all victims of the Horizon scandal
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)