As part of the Iraqi government’s monitoring of the security developments taking place in the Syrian Arab Republic, and the resulting security changes on the ground—particularly regarding control over detained ISIS terrorists—the Ministerial Council for National Security, in its recent emergency meeting, approved, in cooperation with the International Coalition to Counter ISIS, Iraq’s reception of terrorists of Iraqi nationality and other nationalities who were being held in prisons previously under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces.

These individuals will be transferred to government correctional institutions. The first batch has already been received, consisting of 150 Iraqi and foreign terrorist elements who have been deeply involved in the bloodshed of innocent Iraqis.

The numbers of subsequent batches will be determined later, based on assessments of the security and field situation, in order to contain the threat posed by these individuals, who are considered first-tier leaders within terrorist groups.