France takes in five kids of ISIS fighters

PARIS — France has repatriated five children of Frenchborn Islamist extremists who had left to join the Islamic State group.

The announcement, made late Friday by the Foreign Ministry, followed weeks of controversy over the prospect of allowing French-born fighters to return to France to stand trial.

France suffered the brunt of Europe’s recent struggles with terrorist violence either orchestrated or inspired by Islamic State militants, with more than 230 people killed in attacks since 2015.

France’s interior minister, Laurent Nunez, had said Wednesday that no children would be admitted “for the moment.” That same day, President Emmanuel Macron reiterated the government’s position that children would be admitted on a “case-by-case basis,” in conjunction with the opinion of international humanitarian workers.

By Friday, however, the first group of children had been selected. “The decision was taken in view of the situation of these very young and especially vulnerable children,” read a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

The statement noted that the unaccompanied children in question are “under individual medical and psychological supervision” and “were handed over to the judicial authorities.” Their family members in France also were contacted, the statement confirmed.