Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan says local authorities have received information that there are more than 100 Maldivians stranded in war zones across the globe.
At a press briefing held today, the Minister explained that out of this 90 individuals have indicated that they want to return home from the war zones.
The Minister said that these individuals communicated with local officials through different channels. He also explained that out of the 100 individuals, local authorities were able to verify the identities of 21 individuals through various phases of testing including DNA testing.
He said that 21 individuals have now been brought back to Maldives and are being detained in the National Reintegration Center. He further said that authorities were now working to confirm the identity of the 90 remaining individuals in war zones across the country.
While the Minister did not reveal where these individuals were situated, he said that local police were working with diplomatic partners and international organizations like the UN to verify the identity of these individuals.
Noting that most of the 21 individuals brought back today were children, Minister Ihusan said that innocent children have been victimized and have been subjected to a dangerous situation powerlessly.
He said that the whole country must work together to protect these children and that sharing a list on social media might put these already victimized children in further danger.
