Iraq's Ministry of Justice headquarters
Justice Ministry: over 5000 ISIS detainees transferred from Syria to Iraq
BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Justice Ministry on Friday disclosed new details on the number of Islamic State detainees transferred from Syria and the conditions of their detention, stating that the international coalition is covering the cost of their food.
Justice Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Laibi told the Iraqi News Agency that “the government procedures regarding the transfer of terrorists from Syria to Iraq are sound.”
He said that 5,064 ISIS detainees have been transferred so far, including more than 270 Iraqis, more than 3,000 Syrians and the remaining from other nationalities.
Laibi said all detainees have been placed in a single prison and will be investigated and tried in accordance with Iraqi law.
He added that Iraq is a key member of the international coalition to combat ISIS and that hosting and detaining these individuals was carried out at the coalition’s request.
The transfers follow an offensive by Syrian Islamist regime forces and allied militias against Kurdish-held areas last month, which triggered concerns over detention facilities holding thousands of Islamic State prisoners and their families. Clashes near several sites led to reported escapes.
U.S. Central Command has begun transferring detainees to Iraq, with plans to relocate up to 7,000.
Iraqi Army Chief of Staff Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah chaired an expanded security meeting Wednesday at the Joint Operations Command headquarters to discuss security preparations along the Iraq-Syria border.
Iraqi officials and security agencies have repeatedly warned that renewed violence in Syria could enable ISIS cells to regroup and attempt cross-border movement, leading Baghdad to stress heightened vigilance, reinforced border defenses and continuous monitoring to prevent any spillover into Iraqi territory.
Iraq has faced waves of militant violence over the past two decades. After the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, armed groups including al-Qaeda in Iraq carried out bombings and assassinations. In 2014, the Islamic State group seized large areas of Iraq, including Mosul, before losing territorial control by late 2017 following a military campaign by Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga backed by a U.S.-led coalition.