Baghdad has made history by receiving 150 ISIS prisoners from Syrian custody, a first in the fight against the terror group. The Iraqi military confirmed the move on Wednesday, highlighting deepened bilateral security ties.
Among the detainees are Iraqi citizens and foreigners implicated in atrocities against civilians. They were held in SDF-controlled prisons in Hasakah, Syria, before the coalition-brokered transfer to Iraq’s state-run reformatories.
Spokesperson Sabah al-Numani explained the logistics, noting that the process was meticulously planned with international partners. Future phases hinge on evolving security dynamics, but plans envision relocating thousands more.
CENTCOM reports the secure shift from Hasakah to Iraq as a pillar of a comprehensive plan targeting 7,000 detainees. Preventing escapes is paramount, as breakouts could unleash chaos across the Middle East and beyond.
Recent operations have netted over 300 arrests and 20 kills in Syria alone. Analyst Adrian Stueni from the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism observes that ISIS’s regional stronghold has crumbled since its 2004 origins.
From a peak of 80,000 warriors—including 42,000 internationals from 120+ nations—the group’s fighters now number just 1,500-3,000 in Iraq and Syria. This transfer signals progress, but experts warn of lingering global risks, urging sustained global action.