Thank you for the question.
The ICRC is very concerned about the situation of children and families who have been held for a long time in northwestern Syria. We've consistently called for the countries of origin of these citizens, both adults and children, to take all possible steps to repatriate them, including through their national justice systems. The countries can work on both the legal process and the reunification of families to ensure reintegration into civil society.
We're talking about all Canadians who require repatriation, not just the children. They must be dealt with in some way, either through the legal system or through the social system.
For children, it's even more urgent, obviously. I can't go into detail about the 24 cases that you mentioned. However, we can communicate bilaterally and see what we can do in some cases. We also want to avoid repatriating children if their families are still in Syria. That could further harm the children. This situation requires a comprehensive solution.
Only two or three weeks ago, there was an attack in northwest Syria. Until a solution is found for all the international workers on the ground, there won't be any stability.