Germany seeks to bring back more children of IS fighters from Syria

The German government was seeking to bring more children of IS (Islamic State) fighters to Germany, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) said in Berlin on Monday.

"These are mainly small children, and their accommodation there is anything but optimal," said the minister.

"We will work to ensure that more children can leave Syria," stressed Maas, adding that the children could not be held responsible for the "deeds of their parents, and that is why we want to help."

German media reported on Monday that, for the first time, children had been returned to Germany by the Federal Foreign Office.

According to Spiegel, the media was "urgently asked not to endanger the delicate mission by reporting and not to report on it until after the children have crossed the border."

Three orphans and a sick girl had been handed over at the Syrian-Iraqi border, to be finally flown to Germany.

According to the information from Kurdish officials received by the German press agency (dpa), 117 children with German citizenship are currently located in northeastern Syria.