Baghdad offers hold Iraqi Daesh members on trial

By Ibrahim Saleh

BAGHDAD (AA) - Iraq's Foreign Affairs Minister said on Thursday that his country would accept to hold Daesh prisoners on trial along with their family members before Iraqi courts.

Mohammed Ali Al-Hakim said during a press conference with French Foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Baghdad after an official meeting that the two had discussed "the fate of Daesh members in the light of the ongoing Turkish military operations."

"Iraq accepts to receive Iraqi terrorist Daesh members in order to be sued in front of Iraqi courts," he said.

Al-Hakim also said Iraq was following developments in Syria and took measures to prevent infiltration of terrorist Daesh members into Iraq.

He noted that Daesh members in Syria were from more than 72 countries which he called upon to end their existence in Syria.

For his part, Le Drian warned against the re-emergence of Daesh in Syria and Iraq.

He called upon the International Coalition which was formed to fight Daesh in Iraq to gather and discuss the dangers of a Daesh return.

Turkey on Monday accused YPGPKK terror groups of deliberately releasing Daesh prisoners held at a prison in the Syrian border town of Tal Abyad in an attempt to fuel chaos in the area.

Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring east of the Euphrates River on Oct. 9 in northern Syria to secure its borders by eliminating terrorist elements and to ensure the safe return of Syrian refugees and Syria’s territorial integrity.

Ankara wants to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

* Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara