The federal government is providing $1.2 billion to help build a new hospital complex on the James Bay Coast, easing residents’ fears that construction wouldn’t start this year.
Iraq urges countries to repatriate their citizens from camp housing families of extremist IS group
Iraq urged countries on Monday to repatriate their citizens from a sprawling camp in Syria housing tens of thousands linked to the extremist Islamic State group, saying it has become a "source for terrorism."
The statements were made during a conference in Baghdad discussing al-Hol camp in northeast Syria. Iraqi officials, the U.N. representative in Iraq, some members of the international coalition fighting IS and ambassadors of several countries were present.
Al-Hol Camp -- named after a town near the Iraqi border -- is an open wound left by Syria's 12-year conflict. Tens of thousands of people were taken to the facility after the extremist group's defeat in Syria in March 2019.
The camp holds about 51,000 people, the vast majority women and children, including the wives, widows and other family members of IS militants, mostly Syrians and Iraqis.
There are also around 8,000 women and children from 60 other nationalities who live in a part of the camp known as the Annex. They are generally considered the most die-hard IS supporters among the camp residents.
There have been concerns that children at the camp were being taught extremist ideology by their mothers. Experts have warned that a future generation of IS fighters could emerge from al-Hol.
"Ending the issue of al-Hol camp has become a top national interest for Iraq," said Ahmad Sahhaf, Iraq's Foreign Ministry spokesman, according to the country's state news agency.
Sahhaf called on the international community to urge all countries that have citizens at the camp "to repatriate them as soon as possible in order to eventually close the camp" because it has become "a dangerous epicentre" for IS gatherings.
Iraq has repatriated 1,396 families from al-Hol constituting 5,569 of its citizens over the past weeks, said Iraq's National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji who spoke at the conference. Despite the repatriations, some 25,000 Iraqis remain at the camp, making up nearly half its population.
The camp's population is down from 73,000 people, mostly because thousands of its Syrian and Iraqi inhabitants were allowed to return home. But other countries have largely balked at taking back their nationals, who travelled to join IS after the radical group seized large parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014.
Despite the extremist group's defeat in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019, IS sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in both countries. Over the past years, grisly crimes were committed inside al-Hol.
Earlier this month, The U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces announced it handed over 50 Iraqi IS fighters to Baghdad. It also said that it repatriated 170 Iraqis who were living at the camp.
The Kurdish-led authority in northeast Syria has been urging countries to repatriate their citizens from the camp for years.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken co-hosted a meeting in Saudi Arabia for foreign ministers from the global coalition battling IS during which he announced nearly $150 million in new U.S. funding for stabilization efforts in Syria and Iraq.
------
Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue contributed to this report from Beirut.
CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½
The cooking method you need to learn to get excited about vegetables this fall, expert says
'Eat more vegetables,' doctors and dietitians say over and over. But for many people, it’s hard to do, because they aren’t excited about veggies or just don’t like them.
British leader Starmer's chief of staff quits over reports about salary
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's chief of staff quit on Sunday, citing concerns that growing news reports about her role 'risked becoming a distraction to the government.'
Tropical Storm Milton could hit Florida as a major hurricane midweek
People across Florida were given notice Sunday that Milton, for now just a tropical storm off the coast of Mexico, could intensify rapidly into a major hurricane before slamming midweek into the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast.
A Toronto police officer has been arrested after allegedly stealing three bottles of alcohol from a store.
Frequent drinking of fizzy beverages and fruit juice linked to an increased risk of stroke: research
New data raises questions about the drinks people consume and the potential risks associated with them, according to researchers at Galway University in Ireland, in partnership with Hamilton’s McMaster University.
Liberal, Conservative MPs to speak at Oct. 7 march to Parliament Hill
A Liberal MP and a Conservative MP will be part of a team delivering speeches at an event in Ottawa commemorating the one year anniversary of the attacks on Oct. 7.
Police on Vancouver Island have made an arrest in the case of a 78-year-old woman found dead in her home almost two years ago.
opinion Tips on managing your financial stress
Financial strain can be an uncomfortable burden to bear, especially if you feel that you're doing as much as you can and are barely managing to stay afloat. Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew shares some tips for managing financial stress and digging your way out of debt.
Local Spotlight
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.
A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.
The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.
A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north
What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.
The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.