MOSCOW. Aug 10 (Interfax) - The identities of seven Russian children, who were taken by their parents from Russia to Iraq and Syria, have been established, it is necessary to secure their swift return to the home country, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said.
"We have established the children's names with a great share of likelihood. They are Fatima, Khadizha, Tabarik, Nasiyat, Rukiyat, Ibragim and Ali. But we don't distinguish children as Chechen and non-Chechens. We are worried about the fate of all Russian children," Kadyrov wrote on his Instagram page on Thursday.
The children "will not be moved anywhere by anyone or removed without our knowledge," Kadyrov said.
"An understanding of the need for such an approach was reached with top officials in Iraq and Syria. Without wasting a single day we are trying to find relatives of the children," Kadyrov said.
"Those who are indisputably Russians should be returned as quickly as possible. Otherwise a 'mechanism' could emerge under the aegis of various international organizations, which could draw out the problem for years to come," Kadyrov said, adding that very soon his representative to the Middle Eastern and North African countries, senator Ziyad Sabsabi, will travel to Iraq and Syria with the necessary instructions and documentation.
On August 3 the Russian presidential ombudsman for children's rights Anna Kuznetsova offered help to 48 Russian children, who were taken to Iraq illegally, with undergoing rehabilitation and finding a new family. According to the Russia Today television channel, 48 children were found in Mosul where they had been brought by parents who fell under the influence of the terrorist group ISIL banned in Russia.
The minors have been placed at children's shelters. The Russian Foreign Ministry, jointly with Jordanian and Iraqi politicians, is trying to organize the children's repatriation. The evacuation is expected to be two-stage: first, from Mosul to Jordan, and from there to Russia, to relatives.