The United States has started transferring ISIL-linked detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq as the Syrian government expands control over formerly Kurdish-held areas.

The first batch of 150 detainees has already been moved to secure Iraqi facilities.

As Syrian government forces reclaim territory in northeastern Syria, the US has begun relocating detainees connected to ISIL from camps and prisons previously controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The US military confirmed that the initial 150 detainees from a facility in Hasakah were transferred to secure locations in Iraq. This process is expected to continue, potentially involving up to 7,000 individuals.

Shifting control in northeastern Syria

The SDF recently withdrew from several key locations, including al-Hol camp, Syria’s largest facility for family members of ISIL fighters, as government forces advanced. A new ceasefire agreement between the Syrian government and the SDF was announced late Tuesday, further facilitating the transfer of detainees.

Coordination with Iraq

US Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US forces in the Middle East, emphasized that coordinating with Iraq is vital for the secure transfer of detainees. “We sincerely appreciate their role in ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS,” he said, highlighting that this step is critical to prevent mass breakouts that could threaten regional and US security.

Iraq has officially approved the reception of detainees, both Iraqi nationals and foreign fighters, into government-run correctional institutions. The first batch included individuals involved in previous attacks on Iraqi civilians, according to Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for Iraq’s armed forces.

Although ISIL was largely defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria by 2019, sleeper cells continue to carry out attacks. The SDF had a major role in defeating the group, but the US now identifies the Syrian government as its primary partner in Syria against ISIL, marking a shift from its earlier reliance on the SDF.