A recent surge in violence in Al-Hol camp, along with a desperate lack of basic services and the ever-present threat of COVID-19 should refocus minds on finding a longer term solution for the camp's population - more than two-thirds of whom are children.

In Al-Hol, and elsewhere in Syria and Iraq, there is an urgent need for national governments to legally and safely repatriate foreign children before it is too late so that they can receive adequate care and be safe from violence and abuse.

Several countries have repatriated hundreds of children from Iraq and Syria – many of whom are now living with family members, including, in some cases, their mothers who have returned with them, showing that where there is political will, barriers can be overcome.

UNICEF and partners have decades of experience supporting children, affected by armed conflict recover and reintegrate into their families and communities. Every child deserves this right. For foreign children, repatriation is an essential step towards achieving this.