Finnish authorities have repatriated a minor boy from Iraq to Finland after years spent in Syria’s al-Hol camp, following a court decision in Baghdad that cleared his return.
The Finnish foreign ministry said the boy arrived in Finland on Friday after an Iraqi court ordered his release on 31 March and his transfer to the Finnish embassy in Baghdad. Officials confirmed that he holds only Finnish citizenship.
The boy had been taken to Syria in the mid-2010s and was placed in the al-Hol camp in February 2019.
He remained there for about seven years before being transferred in February 2026 to Baghdad alongside around 5,700 detainees moved from north-eastern Syria.
Finnish diplomats verified his identity in Iraq before arranging his return. The ministry said the repatriation followed a formal decision based on constitutional obligations, consular law and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The ministry stated that domestic authorities will now take responsibility for the child’s welfare. It declined to provide further details due to privacy protections for minors.
Al-Hol camp has held tens of thousands of people since the collapse of the Islamic State’s territorial control in 2019, including many women and children linked to foreign fighters. According to Finnish officials, around ten Finnish citizens remained in similar conditions earlier this year, most of them minors.
The camp’s situation has shifted in recent months. Control moved to Syrian government forces earlier this year, and reports indicate that thousands of residents left the site during a period of instability.
Since 2019, Finland has repatriated 37 individuals from the region, including 27 children. The previous return took place in May 2024.
Security authorities said each case is assessed individually. The Finnish Security Intelligence Service noted that, in general terms, returns from conflict zones raise the risk of terrorism.
Officials said the repatriated boy is not suspected of offences in Iraq or Finland.
HT