Overview
- U.S. Central Command said it completed a 23‑day mission moving about 5,700 detainees from SDF-run sites in northeast Syria to Iraq by air and land, while Iraqi officials put the total at 5,704.
- Iraq’s Supreme Judiciary Council said 157 minors were separated to rehabilitation centers under legal and humanitarian standards, with referral to the Juvenile Investigation Court.
- Judicial authorities have opened anti-terror investigations for adults and completed initial interrogations of more than 500 detainees, with prosecutions to proceed under Iraqi law.
- The detainees originate from 61 countries, and Baghdad is pressing foreign governments, including in Europe, to repatriate their nationals linked to ISIS.
- U.S. commanders framed the transfer as vital for regional security and preventing an ISIS resurgence, as Human Rights Watch alleged risks of unfair trials, torture, and possible non‑refoulement violations and flagged unanswered questions about legal counsel and judicial review.