Trump rips Europe for not taking back Daesh prisoners

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday lambasted European nations for refusing to take back their nationals who joined Daesh and are now being detained in Syria.

Trump said U.S.-backed forces are holding 1,800 Daesh prisoners that were taken prisoner in the final battles to eliminate the terror group's territorial control.

"Decisions are now being made as to what to do with these dangerous prisoners," Trump wrote on Twitter. "European countries are not helping at all, even though this was very much done for their benefit. They are refusing to take back prisoners from their specific countries. Not good!"

This is not the first time he has slammed European allies over claims they are not cooperating with efforts to repatriate nationals.

But he has appeared to be reluctant to take back at least some Americans who flocked to the territories controlled by Daesh, including Hoda Muthana, 24, a Daesh bride from Alabama.

Trump's top officials have said Muthana is not a U.S. citizen, a claim rejected by her family who insists her father stopped working as a Yemeni diplomats weeks before she was born.

Unlike most others, children of diplomats who are born while their parents are working in the U.S. are not automatically granted U.S. citizenship.