66 Turkish ISIS militants transferred from NE Syria to Iraq – Al-Monitor
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Kurdish officials in northeast Syria have confirmed that 66 Turkish nationals who fought for the Islamic State (ISIS) were transferred from detention facilities in Hasakah to the U.S.-led Global Coalition for relocation to Iraq, countering Turkish media reports that placed the number at around 2,000, al-Monitor reported on Wednesday.
A senior Syrian Kurdish official and a counterterrorism official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told al-Monitor that the transfer took place in late January and involved a limited number of confirmed Turkish ISIS militants previously held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
“The 2,000 figure is not accurate,” the senior official said, adding that the identities of the detainees are known to the U.S.-led Coalition but cannot be disclosed for security reasons.
The counterterrorism official noted that around 100 ISIS militants of “Turkish origin” had been in SDF custody, explaining that some lacked official documentation clearly proving Turkish nationality, despite indications suggesting they were from Turkey.
An unknown number of Turkish citizens joined ISIS during the group’s rapid expansion across Syria and Iraq in 2013. Many were killed in Coalition airstrikes or clashes with Iraqi forces and the SDF prior to ISIS’ territorial defeat in Baghouz, eastern Syria, in 2019.
Beyond detainees, thousands of ISIS-linked family members remain in camps in northeast Syria. According to the latest UN figures cited by al-Monitor, some 1,003 Turkish wives, widows, and children of ISIS militants are held at Hawl Camp in Hasakah.
The Hawl Camp came under the Syrian transitional government control on Jan. 20 following unrest and riots inside the facility.
An additional 50 Turkish families are being held at the Roj Camp, which remains under SDF administration. Camp officials previously indicated that Ankara had considered repatriating its nationals.
A Turkish detainee at Roj Camp told al-Monitor that Turkish authorities had documented Turkish nationals in August 2025 and informed them they would be repatriated, but no follow-up occurred.
Ilham Ahmad, Head of the Kurdish AANES Foreign Relations Department, confirmed the transfer of the 66 ISIS militants and said Turkish authorities failed to proceed with repatriation efforts.
“We don’t know why Turkey did not follow through,” Ahmad said.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment regarding the number or status of Turkish nationals held in connection with ISIS, according to al-Monitor.