Iraqi officials stress need to repatriate and prosecute foreign ISIS fighters

BAGHDAD — After the recent events in North and East Syria where Al-Sina’a Prison in Hasakah was attacked by hundreds of Islamic State (ISIS) fighters, Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji stressed the importance for countries to prosecute their nationals detained in the prisons of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Al-Araji stated on Twitter that, “During our meetings with NATO and with the ambassadors of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, we stressed the need for countries to prosecute their nationals from ISIS in their countries.” It is estimated that around 2,000 to 3,000 foreign fighters from more than 50 countries are held in detention facilities of the SDF.

The Iraqi National Security Adviser recently met with Commander of the NATO Mission in Iraq Michael Anker who stressed that the safest option is for countries to repatriate their nationals from prisons in Iraq and Syria and prosecute them on their home soil. “The international community must transfer them to another place, because they pose a real threat,” the NATO Commander stated.

Anker highlighted the proximity that many of the prisons and camps for ISIS members have to Iraq, which was forced to tighten border security in the aftermath of the Al-Sina’a attack. “I would convey Iraq’s concern about the presence of dangerous terrorists in Al-Hol Refugee Camp to NATO leadership,” Anker concluded.