Iraq rejects Syrian request to repatriate 4,000 suspected Daesh detainees, official says

Iraq has officially denied a request from Syria to repatriate approximately 4,000 suspected Daesh members currently held in Iraqi custody. The detainees were originally transferred from Syrian detention centers to Iraq earlier this year, according to a statement provided on Wednesday by Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim Al-Aboudi.

The rejection highlights ongoing complexities regarding the legal and security status of foreign and local fighters captured during the conflict with the Islamic State. The decision to retain these individuals in Iraqi facilities maintains the current status quo regarding the custody of thousands of suspected militants previously held in Syrian territory.