In a landmark development, Iraq has accepted 150 Islamic State (ISIS) prisoners from Syrian jails for the first time. Iraqi officials confirmed the transfer on Wednesday local time, marking a significant step in regional counter-terrorism efforts.
The group includes Iraqi nationals as well as foreign fighters accused of playing key roles in the murder of Iraqi civilians. According to a statement from the spokesperson for Iraq’s Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Sabah al-Numani, these detainees were previously held in facilities in Syria’s Hasakah region under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The handover was coordinated with the International Coalition against ISIS, ensuring a secure process. All prisoners will now be transferred to Iraq’s official correctional institutions, with future transfers depending on security assessments.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) detailed that the prisoners were moved from a Hasakah detention center to a secure Iraqi site. This is part of a broader strategy that could see up to 7,000 ISIS detainees relocated to Iraqi-controlled prisons in the coming months.
Such organized transfers are critical to prevent jailbreaks that could threaten U.S. and regional security, CENTCOM emphasized. Over the past year, U.S. and partner forces have arrested more than 300 ISIS members in Syria and eliminated over 20 terrorists.
Experts note that ISIS’s territorial grip in Iraq and Syria has weakened dramatically by 2025, nearly 21 years after its founding. At its peak, the group boasted around 80,000 fighters, including over 42,000 foreign terrorists from more than 120 countries. Current estimates place active fighters in the region between 1,500 and 3,000.
While the regional threat has diminished, global vigilance remains essential as ISIS’s danger persists worldwide. This transfer underscores ongoing international cooperation to contain the terrorist threat.
