Iraqi official says transfer of ISIS prisoners successful, stay not permanent
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Iraq’s National Security Adviser, Saeed al-Jiyashi, said on Sunday that the transfer of Islamic State (ISIS) detainees from Syria to Iraq had been successfully completed, stressing that their presence in Iraq would not be permanent.
The Iraqi News Agency quoted al-Jiyashi as saying that the stay of ISIS prisoners transferred from Syria to Iraq is not permanent, and they will be returned to their home countries.
He explained that the decision to transfer ISIS detainees from Syria was made “at the request of national security,” citing exceptional circumstances in Syria.
“Prisons were subjected to security disruptions, some were opened and inmates escaped,” he added. “It was therefore necessary to transfer them to Iraq in the officially announced numbers and place them in secure prisons.”
Al-Jiyashi noted that Iraq had taken all necessary security measures in coordination with various security agencies and under the supervision of the Supreme Judicial Council.
“The prisoners were transferred under the supervision of the Counter-Terrorism Service. The process was successful and no mistakes occurred,” he noted.
He further stated that “keeping ISIS prisoners in Iraq, under the control of Iraqi security agencies and the Iraqi judiciary, is preferable to dealing with them in an open and unstable environment, to avoid any potential future clashes.”