Imprisoned IS family members in Iraq ‘ticking bombs:’ Iraqi military official

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Imprisoned family members of Islamic State (IS) fighters in Iraq are ‘ticking bombs,’ according to an Iraqi military official.

As the militant group continues to suffer defeat both in Iraq and Syria, their family members who were imprisoned after being captured or surrendering still pose a threat, an Iraqi military official told Sky News.

The family members—nearly 3,000 (including 1,750 foreign nationals)— are being held at a high-security prison in a town called Tal Keif, 10 kilometers northeast of Mosul.

Officials from the interior ministry in Baghdad say they are contacting home countries to facilitate the return of the foreign prisoners, but admit it has been a struggle.

“The majority of countries have not responded to us in a positive manner,” Dr. Wahab Altaey, the chief adviser to the ministry, told Sky News.

“They did not accept the idea of receiving the dependents—the wives,” he continued. “The boys are considered to be ticking bombs.”

The chief adviser said Baghdad must “deal with [all the prisoners] in a humane manner,” adding they are being divided into groups—“those that can be extradited and those who will remain in Iraq.”

Meanwhile, the US-led coalition on Tuesday said it had killed four senior IS leaders in the past three weeks in Iraq and Syria.

“The removal of these key terrorists disrupts [IS] weapons engineering activities and their ability to recruit and train terrorists,” officials said in a statement.

“It also reduces their ability to plan and conduct terrorist attacks, both within Syria, Iraq, and abroad,” the statement added.

Iraqi security forces are continuing to clear the western Anbar Province of remaining IS extremists.

Editing by Sam A.