Washington, Jan. 22 (SANA) U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Wednesday the launch of a mission for an orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq to prevent escape attempts that could pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security.
In a statement published on its official website, CENTCOM said U.S. forces successfully transferred 150 ISIS detainees from a detention facility in Hasakah to a secure site in Iraq. The command noted that up to 7,000 ISIS detainees could be relocated from Syria to detention centers under Iraqi control.
CENTCOM added that U.S. and coalition forces killed more than 20 ISIS militants during related counterterrorism operations.
CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the operation is being conducted in close coordination with regional partners, including the Iraqi government. He stressed that the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is essential to prevent escape attempts that could pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security.
The statement also said that in 2025, U.S. and coalition forces arrested more than 300 ISIS members in Syria and killed more than 20 others during counterterrorism operations.
The announcement follows recent developments related to the handling of ISIS detainees in northeastern Syria. Syria’s Ministry of Interior said on Tuesday that the SDF released a number of ISIS detainees and their families as SDF elements withdrew from guarding al-Hol camp east of Hasakah without coordination with the Syrian government or the international coalition.
Following this, the Syrian government officially notified the U.S. side of the SDF’s intention to withdraw from positions surrounding al-Hol camp, prompting immediate measures to prevent any potential security vacuum.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that American forces cooperated with the Syrian government to apprehend ISIS members who had escaped from al-Shaddadi prison south of Hasakah. He described them as among the most dangerous terrorists in the world and said they were European nationals.
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