Transfer of Hundreds of ISIS Members from Syria to Iraq Raises New Security Concerns

American media reports revealed that the U.S. military has transferred about 2,000 detainees from ISIS from prisons in northeastern Syria to detention centers inside Iraq, as part of a plan that includes dealing with around 7,000 detained individuals in the region.

Transfer Amid Security Concerns

This move comes amid increasing security fears, especially following reports of mass escapes from one of the prisons in northeastern Syria, raising concerns about the ability of authorities to detain members of the organization and prevent them from regrouping.

Iraq Commits to Prosecute Detainees

Reports indicated that the Iraqi government has agreed to receive the detainees, committing to prosecute them under laws related to terrorism cases, in a step aimed at reducing the security risks associated with their presence in Syrian territory.

Ceasefire Paved the Way for the Operation

The transfer coincided with Damascus's announcement of a 15-day extension of the ceasefire at the end of January, an agreement that contributed to calming clashes between Syrian government forces and Kurdish forces in the northeast of the country.
These confrontations had caused chaos around the prisons housing members of the organization, in areas previously controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces backed by the U.S.-led international coalition.

Coordination with the International Coalition

The Syrian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the ceasefire extension was aimed at facilitating the work of the international coalition and allowing for the completion of the transfer of individuals suspected of belonging to ISIS to Iraq, as part of efforts to contain security threats associated with the organization.