Baghdad considers transfer of ISIS prisoners from Syria a preventive measure to protect Iraq's security

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: According to IRNA's Friday morning report, citing Turkey's TRT television, Iraqi government spokesman Bassem Al-Awadi said: "The transfer of ISIS terrorists from Syria is a preventive measure to defend Iraq's security."

 

He added: "The developments in Syria are changing rapidly, and this issue requires important decisions that cannot be delayed. We must look at these developments from a security perspective and prepare to face them with effective measures."

 

Al-Awadi emphasized: "Iraq, as a state, is capable of protecting its national security, is able to withstand hardships, and has proven that its specialized institutions are capable of accepting responsibility."

 

He said, “We oppose the launch of fear-mongering campaigns, but we understand the reasons for them,” and expressed hope that these campaigns would be replaced with confidence-building, preparedness, and capacity-building approaches, and that any action that is in line with protecting the Iraqi soil and people would be supported.

 

The Iraqi government spokesman stressed that the government is well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of such decisions and does not make decisions without studying and considering capabilities beyond simply imprisoning individuals.

 

Al-Awadi also noted that measures related to dealing with ISIS terrorists have already begun, including the decision of the Supreme Judicial Council, the role of the security and intelligence services, the prison administration, and other responsible institutions in developing an effective strategy to apply the law to the transferred individuals.

 

The Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq announced on Thursday that it intends to take judicial measures against ISIS prisoners who were transferred from Syria.

 

On Wednesday, Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the Iraqi army commander, announced that the country had received the first group of 150 terrorist elements detained in Syrian prisons.

 

He added that the Iraqi National Security Council, in an extraordinary meeting and in cooperation with the US-led international coalition to combat ISIS, had agreed to Baghdad's handover of ISIS terrorists of Iraqi and other nationalities.

 

On December 10, 2017, after three years of fierce fighting, Baghdad declared victory over the ISIS terrorist group and the retaken of the occupied territories of Iraq.

 

However, the terrorist group is still active through sporadic attacks in the northern, western and eastern provinces of Iraq, and the Iraqi government is continuing security and military operations to eradicate its remnants.