Illustrative image, Iraq’s Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, Source: the Media Office of Iraqi Prime Minister
Iraq could prosecute non-Iraqi ISIS detainees held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria or help to repatriate those terrorists to their home countries, Iraq’s Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on February 27.
“Some countries could ask Iraq to help to transfer some of its Daesh [ISIS] citizens to the other country, like France for example … Iraq might help, would help, helped to transfer those people to their country. It is one battle and Iraq should fulfil its duties and obligations,” Abdul Mahdi said during his weekly press conference, according to the National.
The Iraqi PM went on to explain that his country could prosecute ISIS members who are wanted for committing crimes in Iraq.
“Each case we should study the names, whether they participated in terrorist acts in Iraq. Then they could be judged by Iraqi tribunals,” he added.
The fate of hundreds of foreign ISIS fighters being detained by the SDF has become a pressing issue following the U.S. decision to withdraw most of its forces from Syria. President Donald Trump had asked his allies, especially in Europe, to take back their detained citizens. However, no state has agreed to this demand as for now.
Earlier this month, several reports claimed that the SDF handed over more than 500 Iraqi and none-Iraqi terrorists to the Iraqi military. While the SDF denied these claims, Iraq confirmed that around 20 French ISIS members where handed over to its authorities.
Abdul Mahdi’s remarks confirm again that the U.S. and its allies want Iraq to persecute their citizens in its court in order to reassure that they will not return and pose a threat to their own communities.
