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Mother urges Canada to swiftly repatriate her son after reported transfer to Iraq

On March 4, 2026, Sally Lane urged Ottawa to repatriate her son after Global Affairs warned he may have been transferred from northeastern Syria to Iraqi custody, fearing for his safety.
Following a Baghdad request, the U.S.-led coalition and Syrian government supported transfers, and last month the Associated Press reported thousands of detainees were moved to Iraq.
Global Affairs Canada said it has contacted Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to confirm identities and is engaging with international organizations and civil society for information on detained Canadians.
Policy actions differ as Ottawa has declined to help repatriate Canadian men, while some Canadian women and children have been returned in recent years with Kurdish cooperation, family claims.
Court rulings and rights groups, including Amnesty International, urge the United Nations to call on Canada, while the Federal Court of Appeal declined to obligate Ottawa to repatriate detainees.

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Mother urges Canada to quickly repatriate her son after reported transfer to Iraq

The mother of a Canadian man says she fears for his safety behind bars in Iraq after receiving word from Canada's foreign ministry he may have been transferred there from detention in northeastern Syria.

10 hours ago·Canada

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