Baghdad Visit

General Michael Kurilla meets Iraqi military leaders to discuss ISIS detainee repatriation, return of displaced nationals

BAGHDAD — Gen. Michael Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, met with Iraqi military leaders in Baghdad on Thursday to discuss the repatriation of Iraqi ISIS detainees from detention centers in Syria and the return of displaced Iraqi nationals from the Al-Hol camp, according to a statement from the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. The talks aimed to advance counter-ISIS operations and stabilize the region.

The ministry stated, “On January 15, General Kurilla visited Iraq to meet with American and Iraqi military leaders in Baghdad, as well as U.S. service members in Erbil.” Kurilla held discussions with Iraqi Chief of Staff Gen. Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah and Deputy Commander of Iraqi Joint Operations Lt. Gen. Qais Al-Muhammadawi.

“They discussed the importance of repatriating Iraqi ISIS detainees from detention centers guarded by the Syrian Democratic Forces and reintegrating thousands of Iraqi nationals from the Al-Hol displacement camp,” the statement said, noting that Iraq repatriated 156 ISIS detainees and 3,203 Iraqi nationals from Syria in 2024.

Kurilla also met with Maj. Gen. Kevin Leahy, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, in Erbil to evaluate the progress of counter-ISIS efforts, which included more than 325 joint operations and nearly 40 airstrikes in 2024.

The leaders emphasized that “joint efforts remain essential to maintaining pressure on ISIS and ensuring regional stability,” stressing the importance of preventing the group’s resurgence or expansion.

Thousands of ISIS detainees, including fighters and their families, remain under the custody of the Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria. They are housed in detention centers and displacement camps, including Al-Hol and Al-Roj. Many are Iraqi nationals — women and children among them — who either fled or were captured as the ISIS caliphate collapsed in 2019.

Al-Hol, in particular, has gained global attention due to poor humanitarian conditions and security risks. The camp holds more than 50,000 people, most of them women and children, including thousands of Iraqis often caught in a cycle of displacement, documentation issues, and uncertainty over repatriation.

The SDF has repeatedly called on countries, including Iraq, to take responsibility for their citizens held in these facilities. However, the sheer numbers of detainees, their backgrounds, and the logistics involved continue to pose challenges for local authorities and the international community alike.