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The United States military launched a mission Wednesday to relocate thousands of Daesh fighters from detention facilities in northeastern Syria to Iraq, a move aimed at preventing potential prison breaks as security conditions deteriorate in the region.
U.S. Central Command transported 150 Daesh detainees from a facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq as the first phase of an operation that could ultimately relocate up to 7,000 prisoners. The transfer comes as Syrian authorities and SDF terror group dispute control over detention camps housing suspected Daesh members and their families after the latter set them free.
"Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of Daesh detainees is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security," said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander.
Syria's Interior Ministry on Tuesday accused the SDF terror group of releasing Daesh detainees and withdrawing from Al-Hol camp in eastern Hasakah without coordinating with the government or the U.S.-led coalition.
Damascus said it notified U.S. officials Monday night of the SDF's intention to withdraw from positions around Al-Hol camp and declared immediate readiness to assume security control. Syrian Information Minister Hamzeh Al-Mustafa stated the government observed "deliberate procrastination" in completing the handover process.
The Syrian Army Operations Command announced it would enter Al-Hol to restore security after the SDF stopped providing protection for the camp, which houses tens of thousands of people including families of suspected Daesh members. Syrian state media reported one civilian was killed by SDF fire in the Al-Hol area.
Five hours of negotiations Monday between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Malzoum Abdi, ringleader of SDF operating under the YPG umbrella, ended without agreement on military integration or territorial control.
Government sources told media outlets that discussions centered on the status of Al-Hasakah province near the Iraqi border. Abdi insisted the province remain under the group's control, while al-Sharaa demanded entry of internal security forces and transfer of state institutions to government authority.
A ceasefire and integration deal announced Sunday by al-Sharaa called for SDF withdrawal of military formations east of the Euphrates River and handover of administrative control in Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. The agreement would integrate SDF into Syrian Defense and Interior ministries following security vetting.
300 Daesh operatives in Syria were caught in 2025 and over 50 were killed during the same period, according to CENTCOM. The command said it is coordinating closely with regional partners, including Iraq's government, on the transfer operation.
Al-Hol camp, located in northeastern Syria, has long presented security challenges for international counterterrorism efforts. The facility holds displaced Syrians, foreign nationals, and families of suspected Daesh members, predominantly women and children.
Syria's Defense Ministry declared readiness to assume control of all Daesh detention facilities in the region and rejected what it called exploitation of detainees as political bargaining tools. The ministry said protecting Kurdish populations remained a priority and pledged army forces would not enter Kurdish towns and villages.
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