US Transfers ISIL Detainees to Iraq Amid Syria Base Drawdown

US Transfers ISIL Detainees to Iraq

The United States has transferred a third group of ISIL detainees from Ghwayran prison in Syria's Hasakah province to Iraq as the US military base in northeast Syria begins to draw down. This move is part of a trilateral agreement between Damascus, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the US, which involves relocating prisoners to Iraqi custody.

The transfer follows deadly clashes between Syrian government forces and the SDF, leading to a ceasefire and gradual integration of SDF fighters into state institutions. US forces have been operating in Syria since 2015, focusing on countering ISIL remnants and supporting the Syrian government.

Security developments in northeast Syria have accelerated with government forces expanding their control, particularly in cities like Hasakah and Qamishli. The SDF governor-designate Nour Eddien Ahmad met with a Damascus delegation to discuss the political significance of the agreement, which allows the group to nominate the governor of Hasaka province. The raising of the Syrian national flag over government buildings signals central authority's reassertion.

US personnel have vacated most watchtowers around a military installation in al-Shaddadi area, with some towers still staffed. No combat aircraft were present at the base during the reported activity. The US has been involved in broader operations to transfer about 7,000 prisoners from facilities across the region, with Iraq conducting investigations into ISIL detainees for atrocities.

This development underscores ongoing efforts to stabilize northeast Syria and integrate various forces under central government control.