Middle East
Iraq's National Intelligence Service logo (left) and a file photo of al-Hol camp in Rojava. Graphic: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Forty-seven French nationals have been transferred from northeast Syria (Rojava) to Iraq where they are wanted on charges of ties to the Islamic State (ISIS), the Iraqi National Intelligence Service said on Friday.
The intelligence service said in a statement that it "confirms that the accused who were transferred belong to the terrorist organization ISIS and are wanted by the Iraqi judiciary as a result of some of them participating in terrorist crimes inside Iraq during the years 2014-2017 when the terrorist organization ISIS controlled a number of Iraqi provinces, and others carrying out activities threatening Iraqi national security from outside Iraq."
It added that the transfer of the French nationals "took place based on judicial arrest warrants based on investigations conducted by the Service under the supervision of the judiciary, and they will be tried according to Iraqi laws."
The Associated Press first reported the news on Thursday, citing unnamed Iraqi security officials saying that Rojava authorities had handed 47 French citizens over to Iraq to be put on trial.
Rudaw has reached out to Rojava authorities for comment.
French authorities have yet to comment on the matter.
Thousands of suspected ISIS fighters are jailed in Rojava and thousands more alleged family members are being held in camps.
France on Tuesday repatriated three women and ten children from camps in Rojava housing suspects with links to ISIS, the foreign ministry said.
France has repatriated 179 children and 60 women from Rojava camps since 2019, AFP reported, citing a diplomatic source.
Kurdish authorities in Rojava have repeatedly called on the international community to repatriate their nationals, but their calls have largely gone unanswered by countries reluctant to do so over fears of extremist ideology spreading at home.
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