Limited Transfer of ISIS Leaders to Iraq Amid Thousands Still Detained in Syria

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Hashim al-Alawi, in an interview with the official Iraqi News Agency (WAA), stated that the number of ISIS members transferred to Iraq remains minimal compared to the approximately 7,000 individuals still detained in Syria. Al-Alawi emphasized that some of those transferred are high-ranking ISIS leaders, while the vast majority remain incarcerated in Syrian facilities.

He further noted that a portion of the transferred individuals are Iraqi citizens, and Baghdad has actively sought to expedite their repatriation in recent years. Al-Alawi also revealed that most ISIS detainees in Syria hold citizenship from over 40 different countries, complicating repatriation efforts.

The Iraqi official reiterated that Baghdad has formally requested the countries of origin to assume responsibility for their nationals, but many have yet to respond positively.