USA commends experience of Central Asian countries in repatriating militant families

The United States is ready to exchange experience with the countries of Central Asia in repatriating families of militants, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the statement of Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. State Department Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

“Central Asian states are really the tip of the spear in dealing with the issue of reintegration of foreign terrorist fighter families – spouses and children.  And so Kazakhstan has taken back approximately 600, majority of these are women and children. Tajikistan has brought back family members, Uzbekistan also has brought back over 100, primarily spouses and family members, and Kyrgyzstan is exploring the scope of their citizens who are located in Syria and also in Iraq.  And so our focus is on how we can provide technical assistance, how we can incorporate Central Asia into the larger discussions that are going on about foreign terrorist fighter family reintegration,” Wells said.

She also noted that Kazakhstan will soon host a conference under the auspices of the Global Counterterrorism Forum, and the United States expects other countries in the region to take part in it.

“Kazakhstan will be hosting what we call a “smart cities” conference, which is held under the Global Counterterrorism Forum, and we’ll be inviting the regional countries to participate,” Wells concluded.

It should be recalled that in July the USA noted the important role of Uzbekistan in launching mechanisms for peaceful inter-Afghan dialogue, economic and social reconstruction of Afghanistan, and involving it in regionalization processes in Central Asia.