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U.S. Moves ISIS Detainees From Syria to Iraq
The U.S. has begun transferring thousands of ISIS detainees from Syria to Iraq as rising tensions and shifting security responsibilities threaten the stability of detention facilities in northeastern Syria.
U.S. Soldiers with Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve provide security during a tour of Al-Hol camp in northeast Syria, Oct. 14, 2025.(French air force photo by 2nd Lt. Lena Adam)
U.S. Central Command said Wednesday that thousands of Islamic State group detainees will be transferred from Syria to Iraq amid escalating tensions between Syria’s interim government and Kurdish led rebels, a move aimed at preventing security breakdowns at detention facilities holding ISIS fighters and their families.
CENTCOM said it has already moved 150 ISIS detainees from a facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq and plans to transfer up to 7,000 fighters in total. It remains unclear where the detainees will ultimately be housed, and CENTCOM did not immediately respond to questions about whether custody would fall under U.S. or Iraqi authority.
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The United States currently maintains about 1,000 troops in Syria, primarily focused on countering ISIS. CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said U.S. forces are coordinating closely with regional partners, including the Iraqi government, to ensure the transfers are carried out securely. He said preventing a breakout from detention facilities is critical to U.S. and regional security, underscoring the need for controlled, well-secured handling of detainees a challenge that, at a much smaller scale, mirrors the importance of reliable restraint systems such as law enforcement-grade gear like the High Speed Gear HSGI Kydex Handcuff Taco, designed to keep detainees securely restrained during high-risk operations.
The transfers come after two weeks of fighting between Syrian government forces and the U.S. backed Syrian Democratic Forces. The U.S. has worked with the SDF for more than a decade in the fight against ISIS, including securing large detention camps in northeastern Syria. U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said Tuesday that the SDF’s role as the primary anti-ISIS force has “largely expired,” as Damascus is now willing and able to assume security responsibilities.
Following the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar Assad in late 2024, the U.S. helped broker an agreement to integrate the SDF into Syria’s new governing structure. Talks on that integration stalled for months, however, before renewed fighting erupted near Aleppo earlier this month.
Tensions escalated further on Tuesday when the SDF withdrew from the al-Hol detention camp, which houses about 24,000 people, according to The Associated Press. Syrian government forces took full control of the camp on Wednesday. Most residents are women and children with links to ISIS, while about 6,500 others many described as hardcore ISIS supporters are held in a separate, high-security section.
The developments come as the Pentagon continues to scale back its presence in Iraq. Last year, U.S. officials announced plans to reduce troop levels there to fewer than 2,000, and Iraqi officials confirmed earlier this week that U.S. forces have fully withdrawn from Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq.
Editor’s Note:
This article is based on statements from U.S. Central Command and reporting by The Associated Press and reflects developments amid ongoing security and political changes in Syria and Iraq following recent fighting and shifts in control over ISIS detention facilities.
