A total of 21 people have been repatriated to the Maldives today for their alleged involvement in the civil war in Syria.

Addressing a press conference at Iskandar Koshi, Home Minister Ali Ihsan said that 21 of them belong to five families, most of them children, including 15 children and five women. He said that the 15 children were children of the five women.

The Minister said a special flight was sent to Turkey on Sunday to bring them back, in which 15 police personnel were on board, adding that the families were on board and their DNA tests were conducted near the border between Syria and Turkey to confirm that they were Maldivians.

They were brought to the Maldives this morning with the help of the Turkish government and will be taken to the National Reintegration Center in K. Himmafushi, the Minister said.

Minister Ihsan said they will be brought back to the society only if they are rehabilitated and ensure that there is no threat to national security or society on their behalf.

He said the National Reintegration Centre at Himmafushi is equipped with all the facilities required for daily life and has adequate safety and security for such programmes.

The Minister further said that more than 90 Maldivians who had gone to Syria for war have been requested to be repatriated and efforts are being made to confirm their whereabouts.