US to move 7,000 ISIS detainees from Syria to Iraq
Shafaq News– Washington/ Baghdad
The United States has begun transferring ISIS detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq, starting with 150 prisoners, US Central Command (CENTCOM) revealed on Wednesday.
In a statement, CENTCOM, the portion of the US military operating in the Middle East and parts of Asia, added that the initial transfer is aimed at preventing prison breakouts and marks the start of a broader operation that could see up to 7,000 ISIS detainees moved to "secure" facilities under Iraqi control.
“We are closely coordinating with regional partners, including the Iraqi government,” CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper said, according to the statement. “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.”
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 21, 2026
Al-Jazeera cited a US military official as saying the operation would take “days, not weeks.” An Iraqi government source told the network that the transfers were carried out at Baghdad’s request, though Iraqi authorities have not officially commented.
Syrian officials have also issued no formal statement, but a senior Foreign Ministry official told Al-Jazeera that Damascus supports the US-led operation, calling it an important step toward stability, and Syria is prepared to provide logistical and security support.
ISIS lost territorial control in Iraq in 2017 but remains active as an insurgent group, with cells operating in desert and rural areas, as well as provinces including Diyala, Kirkuk, Saladin, and Al-Anbar. Iraq’s Joint Operations Command has estimated that security forces conducted dozens of operations and airstrikes in 2025, killing more than 90 ISIS militants and targeting senior leaders.
In Syria, thousands of ISIS fighters and suspected affiliates are held in detention centers and camps such as Al-Hol, facilities long flagged by the United Nations and rights groups including Amnesty International as security risks because of overcrowding, radicalization, and repeated escape attempts.
