Iraqi prime minister urges Macron to repatriate European ISIS fighters

Saturday 24 January 2026 - 10:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Iraqi prime minister urges Macron to repatriate European ISIS fighters

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Soudani has pressed French President Emmanuel Macron to ensure European nations take back their citizens held as Islamic State fighters. This call comes amid a major U.S.-led operation transferring thousands of prisoners from northeastern Syria to Iraq, prompted by deteriorating security conditions. In a phone conversation on Friday, al-Soudani stressed that countries worldwide, especially European Union members, must assume responsibility for their nationals and ensure fair trials in their home countries.

The transfers began on January 21, following clashes between Syria's transitional government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which had long guarded the detainees. U.S. Central Command reported moving 150 prisoners from a detention center in Hassaké, Syria, with up to 7,000 potentially heading to Iraqi facilities. Iraqi Interior Ministry officials confirmed that around 5,000 of those transferred are foreign nationals, including about 2,000 Iraqis. Baghdad's justice system plans to prosecute the arrivals.

Security fears intensified after Syrian government troops entered the al-Hol camp, home to roughly 24,000 people linked to the Islamic State, following an SDF withdrawal. Hundreds of fighters escaped during the fighting, including 120 from Shaddadi prison in Hassaké province, with both sides blaming each other. U.S. Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM, emphasized that orderly transfers prevent mass breakouts that could threaten the United States and regional stability.

France has maintained that its citizens who joined the Islamic State should face justice near their alleged crimes, in Syria or Iraq. Paris has repatriated dozens of women and children in recent years but held back on adult male fighters, estimated at around 70 by French media. Macron's office did not address al-Soudani's specific requests but noted the leaders' agreement on the need for a permanent ceasefire in Syria to promote national unity and regional peace. Macron thanked Iraq for its ongoing fight against the group. Reports from Iraq indicate the transferred detainees include nationals from Britain, Belgium, France, Germany, Sweden, and various Arab countries.