Iraq urges EU states to repatriate ISIS-linked detainees

​​​​​​​By Tarek Chouiref

ISTANBUL (AA) - Iraq on Friday called on European countries to repatriate their nationals affiliated with the ISIS (Daesh) terror organization and ensure their prosecution, as part of a shared international responsibility in addressing the group’s remnants, according to a statement

The remarks were made during a call between Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and French President Emmanuel Macron, said a statement from the Iraqi premier’s media office.

The call reviewed bilateral relations and regional developments, including the temporary transfer of several foreign nationals linked to ISIS from detention facilities run by the YPG/SDF terror group to Iraqi prisons.

Al-Sudani stressed the importance of countries, particularly EU member states, assuming responsibility by receiving individuals who hold their nationalities, ensuring their prosecution and guaranteeing that they face fair punishment.

Macron praised Iraq’s role in managing regional crises and its contributions to regional stability, stressing France’s support for sustainable solutions to security challenges.

He also reaffirmed France’s commitment to providing technical and financial support to address the issue of detained ISIS elements.

The Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council said Thursday it plans to take legal action against detainees from the ISIS terror group transferred to Iraq from neighboring Syria.

The statement came after the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Tuesday that it launched a mission to transfer ISIS detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq to ensure the terrorists remain in secure detention facilities.

The mission began with US forces transporting 150 ISIS fighters from a detention facility in northeastern Hasakah province to a secure location in Iraq, with plans for up to 7,000 detainees to eventually be transferred to Iraqi-controlled facilities.