Five German women are in custody following a military operation in the Iraqi city of Mosul.
It is alleged that they traveled to the embattled city to support the so-called “Islamic State” terror group.
The women in remand are reportedly part of a group of 20 female fighters apprehended in Mosul’s beleaguered ancient city last week, including other nationals from Russia, Turkey, Canada, Libya and Chechnya.
The group of five had been hiding in a system of tunnels built by IS, according to an Iraqi military official. Weapons and explosive belts were found at the site of their arrest – presumably to be used for assaults on Iraqi soldiers. Initial reports say that the arrested individuals were working for the police arm of IS.
Germany’s daily Die Welt newspaper reported that a 16-year-old Muslim convert from Germany’s federal state of Saxony was among those seized by local security forces. The girl had been missing for about a year after allegedly getting in touch with IS supporters online.
Authorities in Saxony’s capital Dresden said that the underage girl had been under investigation for being involved in preparations for a violent act against the state, but that the probe had been suspended due to her absence.
Chief Prosecutor Lorenz Haase told Die Welt that the investigation would be resumed when the girl was back in Germany.
More than 900 Islamists are believed to have traveled to Syria and Iraq from Germany to support IS, including several underage girls.
Many locals fear that the recent liberation of Mosul could leave the city with a power vacuum, as the anti-IS alliance turns its attention to the liberation of Raqqa in neighboring Syria. With allegations of violations of international law mounting in the aftermath of the liberation of Mosul, it is unclear whether those captured during the operation will be facing a fair and impartial legal system.
There is no information at this point whether any of the detainees may be extradited for trial to their home countries.
