Iraq repatriates 50 Islamic State members and over 150 families from Syria

Iraq repatriated 50 Islamic State (ISIS) detainees from Syria, Security Media Cell (SMC) said on Wednesday (June 1).

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) handed the ISIS members over to Iraq’s Joint Operations Command at the Rabia border crossing and the Federal Intelligence and Investigation Agency will investigate and take legal measures, SMC said.

An equal number of Iraqi members of ISIS were repatriated to Iraq from SDF custody in January.

Iraq’s national security advisor, Qazim al-Araji, in January called for foreign nationals held in custody in Syria to be repatriated by their home countries, warning the SDF, who guard al-Hol camp and prisons holding thousands of ISIS members, were not able to handle the problem themselves.

Rojava Information Center (RIC) said 690 Iraqis from 152 families were repatriated from al-Hol camp to Iraq’s al-Jaada camp on Wednesday in the first major transfer by the Iraqi government since January.

RIC said 2,451 Iraqis have so far been repatriated from al-Hol and 28,738 remain. The center’s statistics note about 56,000 residents reman in the camp.

Conditions remain dangerous for residents inside the camp with frequent occurrences of violence. RIC said a woman was found beheaded in the camp on Monday in the sixth murder in May and the 23rdin 2022.

Source: NRTTV