WASHINGTON: The United States has launched a coordinated operation to begin transferring detainees allegedly linked to Islamic State from Syria to neighbouring Iraq, the United States military confirmed, in a move that could eventually involve up to 7,000 prisoners held across detention facilities in northeast Syria.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the operation started with the relocation of around 150 suspected IS fighters and is intended to ensure the detainees remain in secure detention facilities.
CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the United States is working closely with regional partners, including the Iraqi government, stressing that an orderly transfer is critical to preventing potential prison breakouts that could threaten regional and US security.
The move follows a recent agreement between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) chief Mazloum Abdi, under which Damascus would assume responsibility for IS prisoners as part of a broader ceasefire and a plan to integrate Kurdish-led administrations into the Syrian state.
Thousands of suspected IS fighters remain detained in seven prisons in northeast Syria, while tens of thousands of their relatives are housed in the Al-Hol and Roj camps, according to a Reuters.
The United States, which led the international coalition supporting the SDF against IS, has said its partnership with the Kurdish forces has largely run its course after the group’s territorial defeat.
Meanwhile, tensions persist on the ground. Syria’s government reported that seven of its soldiers were killed in a drone attack allegedly carried out by the SDF, a claim the Kurdish-led group denied, blaming an accidental explosion instead.
The incident threatens a fragile ceasefire reached after days of fighting, even as Damascus pushes to consolidate control over the northeast.
The developments carry significant implications for Syria’s internal balance of power, its relations with the United States and Turkiye, and the future handling of thousands of detained Islamist militants.
