Washington has welcomed Iraq’s initiative to detain captured ISIS fighters, calling on nations to repatriate their citizens held in Iraqi custody. The move comes as Iraq confirms it will begin judicial proceedings against the detainees, who are being transferred from Syria by the U.S. military.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States welcomes the Iraqi government’s initiative to hold ISIS terrorists in secure detention facilities within Iraq, following recent instability in northeastern Syria. He emphasized that non-Iraqi terrorists would remain in Iraq temporarily.
Rubio urged countries to take responsibility and repatriate their citizens detained in these facilities to their home countries for prosecution. He characterized the process as a critical component of a long-term framework to prevent ISIS from regrouping, consistent with appropriate burden-sharing among coalition members.
The Higher Judicial Council in Iraq confirmed that it would commence legal proceedings against ISIS detainees transferred from Syria by the U.S. military. This includes thousands of detainees of various nationalities who were previously held by Kurdish forces. The council asserted that all accused individuals, regardless of their nationality or position within the terrorist organization, are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Iraqi judiciary and will face legal proceedings without exception.
An advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister for Foreign Relations, Farhad Alaeddin, stated that the decision to transfer the detainees stems from Iraq’s responsibility to prioritize its security and protect the region from potential future escalation, particularly in the event of their release or escape due to ongoing developments in Syria. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) previously announced the commencement of the transfer of up to 7,000 ISIS detainees to facilities under Iraqi control, aiming to ensure their continued detention.
