Iraq has so far received 4,583 members of the Islamic State group who were previously detained in Syria, according to an Iraqi official speaking to Agence France-Presse. The transfer of detainees began last month as part of a coordinated operation involving the United States and the international coalition.
The transfer of ISIS members from Syria to Iraq is being carried out under strict security and judicial arrangements, with Iraqi authorities preparing to place the detainees in secured detention facilities and initiate legal proceedings.
Details of the detainee transfer operation
Saad Maan, head of Iraq’s Security Media Cell, told AFP that Iraq had received 4,583 ISIS detainees as of Monday. He said the transfers were conducted by land and air in coordination with the US-led international coalition, which has been fighting the group since 2014.
The US Central Command, CENTCOM, previously announced that up to 7,000 ISIS detainees would be transferred from Syria to Iraq, stating that the move aims to ensure the militants remain held in secure detention facilities.
Nationalities among transferred ISIS detainees
Iraqi security sources said the transferred detainees include Syrians, Iraqis, Europeans, and nationals of other countries. Iraqi authorities have repeatedly called on concerned states to repatriate their citizens and ensure they face legal accountability.
Judicial procedures and investigations in Iraq
Iraq’s judiciary announced last week that it had begun investigation procedures for 1,387 detainees received as part of the transfer operation. Investigations are being handled by the Karkh First Investigation Court in Baghdad, which has been reinforced with additional judges, prosecutors, and administrative staff.
The Supreme Judicial Council confirmed that all cases are being examined exclusively under Iraqi law, with investigations covering crimes committed during the period of ISIS control between 2014 and 2017. Judicial officials estimate that the investigation process could take between four and six months.
Charges and security risk assessment
Judicial officials said some of the detainees are considered highly dangerous and include senior ISIS figures. Several are accused of mass killings, crimes against humanity, and genocide, including crimes committed against Iraq’s Yazidi community and the use of chemical weapons.
Officials added that the detainees originate from around 42 countries and stressed that no transfers to their home states can be discussed before all judicial investigations in Iraq are completed.
Security and regional background
ISIS seized large areas of northern and western Iraq in 2014 before Iraqi forces, backed by the international coalition, defeated the group militarily in 2017. Iraq continues to deal with the long-term consequences of widespread abuses committed during that period.
In neighboring Syria, where ISIS was militarily defeated in 2019, thousands of suspected members and their families have been held in prisons and camps administered by the Syrian Democratic Forces. The transfer plan was announced after the US envoy to Damascus said the SDF role in confronting ISIS had ended.
Conclusion:
The transfer of ISIS members from Syria to Iraq marks a significant security and judicial step, as Baghdad seeks to assert control over the detainee الملف and prosecute those responsible under Iraqi law, while continuing to urge the international community to share responsibility.
