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Egypt prepares for return of IS fighters' children

Egypt is preparing to welcome and provide rehabilitation services for 15 Egyptian children who were found in Islamic State camps in Libya.

A picture taken on August 2, 2017 shows children of Islamic State (IS) group fighters currently living in the Libyan Red Crescent headquarters in Misrata, a town half-way between Sirte and Tripoli. 
Traumatised by war, their jihadist parents either killed or missing, twenty-eight children have found solace in each other at a Red Crescent centre in the Libyan city of Misrata. Whether they're jumping up and down on mattresses or playing in the yard, the boys and girls stick together, like siblings, the older
Children of Islamic State fighters are shown at the Libyan Red Crescent headquarters where they are living in Misrata, Aug. 2, 2017 — GETTY/AFP/Mahmud Turkia

CAIRO — Egypt is preparing for the handover of 15 Egyptian children from Libya in early November. Their Islamic State-affiliated parents were either killed or arrested during the Libyan army’s operations against the organization in Misrata.

The family members of terrorists are highly stigmatized. They can be denied social and professional opportunities such as joining the police, armed forces or judiciary. For children, early interaction with terrorists can leave traces of aggression, antisocial behavior and misconceptions about Islam.

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