Iraq Receives Thousands of Detainees Tied to ISIS from Syria
The transfers followed an agreement between the Syrian government and Kurdish-led forces, which restored Damascus’ control over key northeastern regions amid a gradual withdrawal of US troops.
An Iraqi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that 4,500 IS-linked detainees have been moved so far under a US-led plan that could eventually see as many as 7,000 suspects relocated. The detainees reportedly include Iraqi, Syrian, and foreign nationals captured or held by Kurdish forces during the fight against the terrorist organization.
Previously, the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) managed many of the detention sites and served as Washington’s main proxy in its campaign against IS, which resurged in Syria and Iraq in 2014.
The deal between Damascus and the SDF, accompanied by a ceasefire, followed weeks of deadly clashes. The ceasefire, announced by Syria’s Ministry of Defense in late January, triggered unrest, including a mass escape from one detention facility, prompting the US to plan the relocation of thousands of detainees to more secure facilities in Iraq.
Kurdish control over oil and gas fields in Deir ez-Zor had previously aided the US strategy of economically pressuring the government of former Syrian President Bashar Assad, who was removed from power in late 2024. After a Turkish-backed former Al Qaeda militant leader assumed authority, US sanctions were lifted, opening the way for foreign-funded reconstruction.
Iraqi authorities said investigations into the transferred detainees are expected to last four to six months, depending on the complexity of each case, and will be carried out under Iraqi law.
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