27,000 children stranded in ISIS camp in Syria

The U.N. counterterrorism head urges countries to repatriate the 27,000 children stranded in a massive camp in northeastern Syria. Many of them are sons and daughters of Islamic State radicals who once controlled large swathes of Iraq and Syria.

Vladimir Voronkov told in an informal meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Friday that "the horrific nature of the children in Al Hol (camp) is one of the most pressing issues in the world today."

The 27,000 kids "remain stranded, abandoned to their fate," exposed to be preyed on by Islamic State enforcers, "and at risk of radicalization that too within the camp," he said.

Al Hol, the largest camp for refugees as well as displaced Syrians in the country, is currently home to almost 62,000 residents.

Voronkov said that there are children from 60 countries in the camps responsible for their member states, not of Syria or the groups that control the camps. Kurdish fighters are also guarding Al-Hol and other camps as well as thousands of Islamic State soldiers and boys in prisons.

He said several countries - including Russia and Kazakhstan that gathered the virtual meeting - "have collectively repatriated nearly 1,000 children and also their family members."

Voronkov stated the experiences of the returnees are being collected, "and what we have seen thus is far is that fears of security risks have been unfounded." added Voronkov.