Iraqi security officials have confirmed that 150 high-ranking members of the Islamic State (IS) group, including European nationals, were transferred from Syria to Iraq this week under a US-led operation. The officials spoke to AFP on Friday regarding the transfer, which occurred on Wednesday.
The group of IS members transferred to Iraq consists of senior leaders described as “some of the most notorious criminals,” according to one security official. They are now being held in a prison in Baghdad.
A second security source provided a breakdown of the nationalities, stating the detainees include “85 Iraqis and 65 others of various nationalities, including Europeans, Sudanese, Somalis, and people from the Caucasus region.” The source confirmed that all individuals in the group “participated in IS operations in Iraq,” including the 2014 offensive when the group seized large territories in Iraq and Syria. All are considered to be at the leadership level of “emirs.”
This transfer is reportedly the first of its kind, with up to 7,000 IS suspects expected to be moved to Iraqi prisons. These individuals were previously held by Syrian Kurdish forces following the territorial defeat of IS in 2019.
The Iraqi judiciary has announced it will begin legal proceedings against the IS detainees who have been transferred from Syria. Iraqi courts have previously issued hundreds of death sentences and life imprisonment terms to individuals convicted of terrorism, including foreign fighters captured in Syria and handed over to Iraqi authorities.
