The United States has begun transferring Islamic State (IS) detainees from prisons in northeastern Syria to secure facilities in Iraq, following the Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) loss of control over key territories where the prisoners have been held since 2017.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed in a statement late on Wednesday that IS fighters and associates held in northern Syria would be moved to Iraq.
“We are closely coordinating with regional partners, including the Iraqi government, and we sincerely appreciate their role in ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS,” CENTCOM commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, said.
“Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security,” he added.
The statement indicated that while more than 150 IS fighters had already been transferred from a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq, a total of up to 7,000 detainees could ultimately be transferred to Iraqi-controlled maximum-security prisons.
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Syria’s foreign ministry said the transfer provided a “breather for the Syrian government to strengthen security and stability” in the country.
As the Syrian government forces seized more parts of northern Syria over the weekend in efforts to establish control and unify the country, Kurdish-led SDF was forced to withdraw from previously-held territories.
As Syrian forces advanced, the SDF abandoned posts at key sites, including the al-Hol camp (holding mostly women and children) and al-Aqtan prison for IS fighters.
According to the SDF, more than 24,000 people were being held at al-Hol camp alone when they retreated, though the main focus of the US transfer concerns male fighters in prisons.
The Islamic State (also known as ISIS/ISIL) was territorially defeated in Syria and Iraq in 2019 through a US-led coalition and other partners; however, the group remains active in Afghanistan, parts of Central Asia and the Caucasus, where it has carried out deadly attacks.
The fighters and detainees held in these facilities include nationals from countries such as Tunisia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Syria, among others, according to intelligence sources.
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