Washington – Baghdad: Europe and the Arabs – Agencies

The United States has transferred approximately 2,000 suspected ISIS members, out of nearly 7,000 detainees held in prisons in northeastern Syria, to detention centers inside Iraq. This move has raised human rights concerns about the fate of these detainees.

CBS News quoted an Iraqi security source as saying that the transfer process is ongoing, confirming that approximately 2,000 detainees have been moved to Iraqi territory so far.

The source added, "It is better for them to be imprisoned and secure in Iraq than to worry about the possibility of their escape and release in Syria."

The US operation came after the security situation deteriorated around the prisons holding ISIS detainees in northeastern Syria, following clashes between Syrian government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which had been managing these centers for years with the support of the international coalition. This chaos led to mass escapes from some prisons, raising regional and international concerns. According to the European news network Euronews in Brussels,

In this context, the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced an extension of the ceasefire in the northeast of the country to allow the international coalition to complete the transfer of ISIS detainees to Iraq. Meanwhile, the Syrian army intensified its security measures around the al-Hol camp south of Hasakah, where families of ISIS members are being held.

Iraq pledges "fair and decisive" trials.

For his part, the head of the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council, Faiq Zaidan, affirmed that his country is prepared to handle the cases of all suspected ISIS members, whether Iraqi or foreign.

In a televised address, he stated that the Iraqi judiciary is "ready to try the terrorists detained in camps within Syrian territory in accordance with national laws and international obligations, ensuring fair and decisive trials, achieving justice for victims of terrorism, and preserving the security of Iraq and other countries."

An official at the Iraqi National Center for Justice and International Judicial Cooperation also emphasized that the Iraqi judiciary "categorically rejects torture," stressing that terrorism trials are conducted within a constitutional framework that guarantees the right to defense and the possibility of appealing verdicts. Human Rights Concerns and International Criticism

In contrast, human rights organizations, most notably Human Rights Watch, have expressed concern about Iraq's ability to conduct such a large number of trials fairly.

Sarah Sanper, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, questioned Iraq's capacity to handle this volume of trials, telling CBS News that the last time such a large number of people appeared before Iraqi courts, "the judicial system was completely overwhelmed."

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International reported that approximately 8,000 people are on death row in Iraq, including foreigners. Several media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, reported in 2019 that seven French citizens were among the hundreds sentenced to death.

Sanper acknowledged that the Iraqi judicial system has "made significant progress" since 2019 as the country has stabilized somewhat, but stressed that "many fundamental structural problems remain." France: Fighting ISIS is an Absolute Priority

For his part, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who visited Damascus on Thursday, affirmed during his meeting with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Sheibani, that combating ISIS remains an "absolute priority" for France, in addition to discussing the management of prisons and camps.

Barrot stated, "For the past ten years, France has relentlessly fought the ISIS terrorist organization in Iraq and Syria," adding, "I came to Syria to reaffirm this absolute priority for France."

The French minister expressed his country's readiness to support Syria's integration into the international coalition against ISIS, ensuring the security of camps and prisons and strengthening counterterrorism capabilities.

He also emphasized, in a post on the "X" platform, the importance of fully implementing the agreement of January 29, which stipulates the integration of the Kurdish component into the security forces and state institutions, along with the presidential decree concerning the recognition of the linguistic, cultural, and educational rights of the Kurds.

The Transfer Operation Continues

On the 21st of last month, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the launch of a mission to transfer ISIS detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq, with the goal of ensuring their continued detention in secure facilities.

The mission began with the transfer of 150 ISIS members from a detention center in Al-Hasakah Governorate to a secure location within Iraq. The number is expected to eventually reach approximately 7,000 detainees in facilities under the control of Iraqi authorities.

U.S. Central Command Commander Admiral Brad Cooper stated, "We are coordinating closely with our regional partners, including the Iraqi government, and appreciate their role in ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS."

He added, "Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is critical to preventing any escapes that could pose a direct threat to the United States and the security of the region."