BAGHDAD, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Friday urged countries around the world, particularly European Union members, to repatriate their nationals detained for links to the Islamic State (IS).
The appeal came during a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to a statement from al-Sudani's office. He emphasized that countries of origin should take responsibility for these individuals to ensure they "receive fair punishment" through prosecution at home.
Macron, the statement said, affirmed France's commitment to provide technical and financial support to help manage the situation of detained IS members.
The discussion follows Iraq's recent reception of the first 150 IS detainees transferred from Syria. Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for Iraq's commander-in-chief, said Wednesday that the group includes both Iraqi and foreign nationals, and that the timing and number of future transfers will depend on ongoing security assessments.
U.S. Central Command said the detainees were moved from a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq. The transfer is part of a broader plan that could eventually see up to 7,000 IS detainees relocated to Iraqi-controlled facilities. ■
