Kurdistan24 Exclusive: Just 467 of 5,704 ISIS Prisoners Moved from Syria Are Iraqi
Iraq says 5,704 ISIS detainees have been transferred from Syria, with only 467 holding Iraqi nationality. Authorities confirmed the operation has ended and investigations are underway.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - From secured facilities to sealed records, a two weeks-long cross-border operation has quietly reached its end, revealing a stark figure at its core: only a small fraction of those moved are Iraqi.
The process of transferring imprisoned ISIS militants from Syria to Iraq has concluded, with a total of 5,704 detainees now handed over to Iraqi authorities.
Saad Maan, Head of Iraq’s Security Media Cell, told Kurdistan24 that the number of ISIS terrorists transferred from Syria to Iraqi prisons stands at 5,704, a figure agreed upon by Baghdad and the international coalition.
Maan clarified that among the transferred detainees, 467 hold Iraqi nationality and have already undergone preliminary investigations. “We need more time and information to complete the investigations, and we can also prosecute those who are not Iraqi, in accordance with Iraqi law,” he said.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the conclusion of the operation in a statement, noting that the mission lasted twenty-three days and began on Jan. 21.
According to Iraqi authorities, the nationalities of the transferred detainees are as follows:
Syria: 3,543
Iraq: 467
Tunisia: 234
Morocco: 187
Türkiye: 181
Turkmenistan: 165
Russia: 130
Egypt: 116
Maan stressed that the transfer of the prisoners to Iraq was carried out with Baghdad’s consent, not by imposition. He described the step as a positive point that reflects international recognition of Iraq’s efforts in this field.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani stated that the transfer of ISIS prisoners was an Iraqi decision aimed at protecting national, regional, and international security. He called on other countries to cooperate and to take back their citizens.
Officials said the detainees hold nationalities from sixty-one different countries and are being held in a secure location. According to security sources, they pose no direct threat to Iraq’s security.
The Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council has begun legal procedures to investigate the detainees with the aim of putting them on trial.
The operation was carried out in coordination between Baghdad and the international coalition, concluding a Syria-to-Iraq transfer process that lasted twenty-three days.
As legal and security procedures move forward, Iraqi officials say the completed transfer marks a decisive step in managing the legacy of ISIS through law and international cooperation.