US welcomes Iraq’s initiative to detain Daesh members in secure facilities.

Washington praises Baghdad’s leadership in preventing Daesh from moving freely in the region.

 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Iraq’s recent efforts to detain Daesh members in secure facilities following unrest in northeastern Syria.

 

In a statement, Rubio said the United States “welcomes the Iraqi government’s initiative and values the leadership it has shown, supporting this bold step to ensure Daesh militants cannot move freely across the region.”

 

Transfer of detainees

The US military has begun transferring suspected Daesh fighters from northeastern Syria to Iraqi-controlled facilities. Central Command (CENTCOM) said an initial group of about 150 militants was moved from a detention centre in Hasakah province to secure locations in Iraq, and that up to 7,000 detainees could ultimately be relocated. The transfers come after the withdrawal of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from key areas, raising concerns about the security of prisons and camps holding thousands of suspected fighters and their families.

 

Read more: Iraq says to start legal proceedings against Daesh detainees moved from Syria

 

Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council announced that it will begin legal proceedings against the detainees transferred from Syria, asserting that all suspects will be subject to Iraqi judicial authority and legal standards.

 

Calls for repatriation

Rubio also urged countries with citizens held in these facilities to repatriate them to face justice at home. “Non-Iraqi terrorists will be in Iraq temporarily; the United States urges countries to take responsibility and repatriate their citizens in these facilities to face justice,” he said. The move reflects Washington’s push for shared responsibility among coalition members in countering the extremist threat.

 

Regional context

The transfers come as the Syrian government consolidates control in parts of northeastern Syria previously held by the SDF, including areas with detention camps. The UN has taken management responsibility for large camps housing tens of thousands of women and children associated with Daesh. Baghdad has called on other countries to help accept detainees previously held in the Kurdish-run facilities.

 

The overall effort aims to reduce the risk of escapes and resurgence by placing detainees in more secure and stable facilities under Iraqi control, a priority shared by the US-led coalition and Baghdad’s partners in the region.