Albania, the government is preparing to repatriate 150 IS-linked Albanians

The accusations and speculations about the visit to Syria by the Albanian interior minister Sander Lleshaj, today replied the minister for relations with parliament Elisa Spiropali during the television broadcast '45 Minuta'.

The minister for relations with parliament stated that Lleshaj was there to get in touch with the other Albanian citizens who find themselves stranded in the camp of Al Hol, for whom a rescue operation is being prepared.

Regarding the rescue operation concerning Alvin Berisha, Spiropali stated that it began with the request of Prime Minister Rama to his Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte. The minister also added that currently in Syria there are 150 Albanian citizens.

The statements of Elisa Spiropali

"In the field of Al Hol there are about non-Syrian 10.000. It is estimated that among these there are 150 Albanian citizens in total, of which 28 children and 72 from the Republic of Albania.

Great work has been done by the authorities. Albania was among the first countries to initiate efforts to repatriate these citizens. No need to argue about who has the most merit about Alvin's rescue operation.

It is one of those operations where you have to negotiate with different parts at each stage. An operation that required prudence and was successfully completed. It began with the request of Prime Minister Rama to Conte and the availability of the Lebanese authorities. All documentation is in Italian.

Lleshaj was there to get in touch with other people still at risk in the camp. We must be very careful with their data. What I can say with certainty is that you are working seriously. " - said Spiropali during the TV program "45 Minuta".

The same minister for relations with the parliament had provided further details regarding the Albanian citizens in Syria yesterday:

"Last August, we established an operational plan, and it was almost all set, but the situation in the conflict zone has changed and everything has been suspended. Currently an operational group is starting contacts, and is examining all the possibilities to make the transfer.

It was very difficult to identify the Albanians who are in that area, and the situation remains complicated. We cannot offer further details because there is the danger of putting at risk the lives of our fellow citizens. "- said the minister.