Washington, DC – US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Friday the completion of the mission to transfer ISIS detainees from Syria to Iraq. The announcement followed a final overnight flight Thursday evening, concluding a 23-day operation. CENTCOM said in a statement that the mission, which began on January 21, resulted in the transfer of more than 5,700 ISIS members from detention facilities in Syria to Iraqi authorities. This was accomplished through extensive security coordination between US forces and their regional partners.
U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper praised what he called a “mission accomplished flawlessly.” He also thanked the Combined Joint Task Force team that carried out the operation “on the ground and in the air with high focus, professionalism, and close cooperation with our regional partners.” He added, “We appreciate Iraq’s leadership and understanding that the transfer of detainees is essential to the security of the region.” CENTCOM explained that U.S. and coalition forces led the planning, coordination, and execution of the operation under Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. This task force was established in 2014 to advise and support partner forces in the fight against ISIS.
For his part, the commander of the Combined Joint Task Force, Major General Kevin Lambert, expressed his pride in the coalition’s accomplishments. He affirmed that “the successful, orderly, and safe execution of the transfer will help prevent the resurgence of ISIS in Syria.” In the same vein, Iraqi Justice Minister Khalid Shawani announced that Thursday saw the arrival of the final group of detainees who had been held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria. They were transferred to high-security prisons in Baghdad.
Shwani explained that the detainees come from more than 60 countries, the majority of whom are Syrian. He added that 165 of them are Turkish. He also denied circulating figures claiming that 2,500 Turks were among those detained. He indicated that Iraq had formed an internal security team to oversee the handover process, along with a technical team headed by the Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency to conduct the investigations. A specialized judicial body was also formed to prepare case files and classify charges according to the Counter-Terrorism Law and the Iraqi Penal Code, in preparation for referring them to the appropriate courts.
