Syria's Sharaa Meets Iraq's Zidan to Strengthen Judicial Cooperation

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council President Faiq Zidan in Damascus on Thursday to discuss strengthening legal and judicial cooperation between the two neighboring countries, with the cases of Syrian detainees transferred from Al-Hol camp among the issues addressed.

According to a statement from the Syrian presidency, al-Sharaa received Zidan and his accompanying delegation in Damascus in the presence of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais.

The meeting focused on ways to strengthen cooperation between Baghdad and Damascus in judicial and legal affairs, while the two sides also discussed several issues of mutual interest.

An Iraqi judicial delegation headed by Zidan traveled to Damascus on Thursday, August 13, 2026, following an official invitation from Syria's justice minister. The delegation held talks with Syrian officials on recent developments and a number of joint legal and judicial cases.

Layth Jabr, head of the Judicial Supervision Authority at Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council, told the Iraqi state-owned News Agency (INA) that the talks focused in particular on the cases of Syrian detainees transferred to Iraq from Al-Hol camp.

Jabr said the two sides agreed to establish a joint judicial committee that would hold regular meetings to address legal cases related to detainees transferred from Al-Hol and coordinate procedures concerning their prosecution.

"The two countries exchanged views on strengthening judicial cooperation and developing the exchange of information and expertise," Jabr said.

He added that the two sides were also preparing to sign a judicial memorandum of understanding in the future aimed at formalizing and expanding cooperation between the two countries' judicial institutions.

Al-Hol Detainees and Cross-Border Justice

The issue of detainees linked to Al-Hol camp has become an important security and judicial concern for Iraq and Syria.

Al-Hol, located in northeastern Syria, has for years housed tens of thousands of people, including suspected family members and supporters of Islamic State (ISIS) militants, following the group's territorial defeat in Syria and Iraq.

The camp's population has included Syrian and Iraqi nationals as well as citizens of other countries. Its future and the legal status of those suspected of links to ISIS have posed a complex challenge for governments seeking to balance security concerns with judicial procedures and the repatriation of their nationals.

Iraq has previously repatriated groups of Iraqi nationals from Al-Hol and transferred some suspected ISIS members into its judicial system for investigation and prosecution. The process has required coordination between Iraqi, Syrian and other regional authorities over evidence, identification, custody and legal jurisdiction.

The agreement to establish a joint judicial committee could provide a mechanism for Baghdad and Damascus to coordinate more closely on these cases, particularly where alleged crimes, detainees or evidence cross the two countries' borders.

The proposed judicial memorandum of understanding would further institutionalize cooperation and could facilitate information-sharing, legal assistance and the handling of criminal cases between Iraqi and Syrian judicial authorities.

The talks also reflect broader efforts by Baghdad and Damascus to strengthen state-to-state coordination on security and legal matters as both countries confront the continuing threat posed by extremist networks and unresolved cases stemming from the Islamic State era.