Baghdad and Damascus synchronized massive ISIS detainee transfer
Shafaq News– Damascus/ Baghdad
Syria and Iraq coordinated the recent transfer of ISIS detainees, with Damascus describing the process as legal, transparent, and respectful of each country’s sovereignty, a senior Syrian official told Shafaq News on Sunday.
Mohammad Taha Al-Ahmad, director of Arab Affairs at the Syrian Foreign Ministry, clarified that the transfer was carried out at the request of the United States. He noted that the operation aimed to prevent the ISIS card from being exploited as a political or security bargaining tool, stressing that responsibility for the detainees rests with their countries of origin, particularly Iraq.
“Syria maintains a steady, institutional relationship with Iraq,” Al-Ahmad added, describing the partnership as grounded in shared strategic interests —border security, counterterrorism, and economic cooperation— rather than individual personalities.
The detainees’ transfer comes after recent clashes in northeastern Syria near detention facilities housing ISIS members and their families, which renewed concerns over the security and fate of those held there. Earlier, US Central Command reported that around 7,000 ISIS detainees would be relocated from Syria to “secure” facilities in Iraq, noting that the operation was coordinated with Iraqi authorities —a step Baghdad later confirmed.
