Withdrawing the British citizenship without warning and the fate of British families in northeast Syria
November 27, 2021, 12:48 pm

Withdrawing the British citizenship without warning and the fate of British families in northeast Syria

Zara saleh

Recently, the UK government is preparing a draft bill that allows the Home Office to strip citizenship from someone without warning them under various circumstances. Such circumstances could be in the interests of "national security" or maybe for other "public interests" or because of the threats of terrorism. That means people who are holding British citizenship will not be notified that they have been stripped from their citizenship according to the new bill.

Activists and human rights organisations have been alarmed that the new bill is now pushing for more power to do without notifying anyone. In other words, British citizenship is unsecure and in danger even to those born in the UK. Added to that, the UK government has been using their power to remove more than 100 citizenship in 2017. Andrew Mitchell, the Conservative MP who is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) also has expressed his critics on such a new bill and said, "We need to take responsibility for these people and not use citizenship as a device". On the other hand, by drafting such a new bill, the UK government is seeking to tackle and prevent the radicalisation and extremism or people who had connections with ISIS and returned from Syria and Iraq.

The new draft bill, definitely, will affect all British family’s children, and women who live in northeast Syria and become stateless. For instance, the Home Office in the UK has already refused to recognise British people who had links with ISIS, like Shamima Begum. In February 2019, Shamima has lost her citizenship after she fled London and joined ISIS in Syria, and became IS bride; and now she still lives in Roj camp-prison in northeast Syria under the Kurdish authorities. The UK government refused to bring back these British citizens since they had joined ISIS like many other European countries.

According to official resources, nearly 900 UK citizens have been joining the so-called Islamic State in Syria, and some of them had returned back, while others have been killed, but there are about 20 British families still detained in Al-Hull and Roj camp in northeast Syria that controlled by the Kurdish authorities after defeating and smashing ISIS. However, the Kurdish forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were the only trustworthy ally on the ground with the international coalition against ISIS that has been behind the defeat of the so-called IS caliphate in Syria.

Now, the Kurdish self-administration in northeast Syria is still taking all responsibility for more than 70,000 ISIS fighters and families in the Al-Hull camp without any support, and even most of the European countries still refuse to return back their citizens and do not even ask about their citizens. Added to that, ISIS family’s children in both camps, Al-Hull and Roj, are living in very poor conditions with no medical care and schooling and consequently are a project brainwashed by radical IS mothers. In such an ideological and radical environment, these children will be definitely radicalised and become ISIS fighters in the future, and that is why the European countries including UK should take their responsibility to find out a right solution for their citizens in northeast Syria.

BY: Zara Saleh

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.