Iraq says ISIS detainees secured at Karkh Prison under CTS guard

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Ministry of Justice said Thursday that Islamic State suspects are held at Karkh Central Prison under layered security provided by Counter-Terrorism Service forces and Corrections Department personnel, with no transfers planned at this stage.

Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Laibi said 1,000 of the more than 5,700 detainees transferred from Syria have been questioned so far, with no court rulings issued against any of them yet. He said any death sentences issued would require presidential ratification before implementation, and that no countries have yet requested the transfer of their nationals to serve sentences abroad. The ministry may pursue memorandums of understanding with countries willing to receive convicted nationals, excluding those sentenced to death.

The detainees, representing more than 60 nationalities, were transferred to Iraq following security disruptions at detention facilities in northern Syria in January.

Islamic State declared its self-styled caliphate in 2014, controlling large parts of Iraq and Syria before losing its territory by 2019. The group continues to operate through sleeper cells across Iraq.