Russian IS women appeal to Putin to bring them home
Russian women who were held in Kurdish-controlled camps in Syria as Islamic State group supporters have recorded emotional appeals to President Vladimir Putin to help them return home.
The audio recordings released by RBK news website late Saturday were provided by Chechen rights ombudswoman Kheda Saratova, who has been involved in repatriating IS widows and children. It was not clear when they were made.
The women referred to two different camps holding alleged IS family members -- Al-Hol in northeastern Syria and Ain Issa near the Turkish border.
Thousands of Russians joined IS forces in Syria and Iraq. Russia has repatriated some of the women and children.
"My request is to help me return home. I don't want to go back to the IS," says one woman, who gives her name as Yulia Kryukova from the city of Saint Petersburg, her voice breaking as she starts crying.
"I appeal to President Vladimir Putin, Kheda Saratova and Natalya Moskalkova," she says, misnaming Russia's rights ombudswoman .