The U.S. Army Completes Transfer of ISIS Elements from Syria to Iraq

The U.S. Central Command announced today, Friday, the completion of the mission to transfer ISIS detainees from detention centers in Syria to custody in Iraq, after a 23-day operation that began on January 21.

Details of the Transfer

The Central Command stated that the operation resulted in the transfer of more than 5,700 adult fighters from the organization, including about 270 Iraqis and more than 3,000 Syrians, while the remaining belong to other nationalities.

Responsibility of the International Coalition

The Iraqi Ministry of Justice confirmed that the responsibility for feeding the transferred prisoners lies with the international coalition and not the Iraqi government. The ministry's spokesperson, Ahmed Laibi, explained that all elements have been placed in one prison and will be subjected to investigation and trial according to Iraqi law.

Coordination with the Coalition

Laibi noted that Iraq is a key partner in the international coalition against ISIS, and the process of hosting and detaining the prisoners was carried out at the request of the international coalition and in coordination with Iraqi Minister of Justice Khaled Shwani to ensure the legal procedures are followed.