The U.S. military on Wednesday began the transfer of up to 7,000 Islamic State suspects from detention centers in northeastern Syria to neighboring Iraq, officials said, following a jailbreak this week that exposed how an increasingly fraught security situation has upended years of status quo.
U.S. aircraft removed about 150 alleged militants from a facility in Haskah, Syria, with all of the additional transfers expected in coming days, defense officials said. The move comes as Syria’s new government asserts greater authority over parts of the country that have been controlled for years by a Kurdish-led militia that partnered with U.S. forces to battle the Islamic State after it swept across much of both Iraq and Syria in 2013 and 2014 in a campaign of terror.
The first 150 detainees, considered the most dangerous individuals in captivity, were held in a detention camp managed by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Kurdish-led militia, a U.S. defense official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing relocation operation. The thousands of additional detainees scheduled for transfer also are among the “worst of the worst” who remain in captivity and are held in several facilities throughout northeastern Syria, the official added.
The top U.S. commander overseeing operations in the region, Adm. Brad Cooper, said in a statement that military officials are coordinating with regional partners, including the Iraqi government.
“Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security,” Cooper said.
About 9,000 detainees affiliated with the Islamic State were in northeastern Syria as of Wednesday, the official said. Those who are not transferred to Iraq are expected to remain detained in Syria.
For years, Syrian Kurds have maintained an enclave in the northeastern part of the country while partnering with U.S. forces and taking responsibility for the detention of thousands of Islamic State suspects. Syrian government forces loyal to the country’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, have advanced on the region in recent days, prompting the jailbreak of about 200 militants from the Shaddadi prison on Monday after the SDF withdrew.
SDF members also withdrew from the al-Hol camp Tuesday after taking gunfire from Syrian government forces, though a ceasefire was later declared.
On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump’s envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, urged the SDF to reconcile with the new Syrian government, saying its original purpose “as the primary anti-ISIS force on the ground has largely expired” now that the government in Damascus has voiced a desire to take over security responsibilities.
“Recent developments show the US actively facilitating this transition, rather than prolonging a separate SDF role,” Barrack said in a long statement posted on social media.
Morris and Salim reported from Baghdad.
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