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20h ago

U.S. Moves ISIS Detainees to Iraq as CENTCOM Secures Kurdish Safe Passage in Northeast Syria

U.S. mediation aims to reduce risk to troops, enabling rapid detainee transfers.

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Title: Syria Kurds Clashes Image ID: 26019521406906 Article: Syrian government forces stand guard outside Al-Aqtan prison on the outskirts of Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, as negotiations are underway between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces over a withdrawal from the prison. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)

Overview

  • U.S. officials say roughly 150 ISIS detainees have been relocated from Syria to Iraq so far, with plans to move up to 7,000 of the estimated 9,000–10,000 held in Syria.
  • A CENTCOM-brokered arrangement allowed about 800 SDF fighters and civilians to depart Raqqah for Kobani, with a convoy of more than 160 vehicles reaching safety.
  • A U.S. official said the safe-passage deal seeks to protect approximately 1,000 U.S. troops in Syria and to stabilize conditions for the detainee transfer operation.
  • Syrian authorities reported at least 120 ISIS prisoners escaped from the al-Shaddadi facility this week, while the SDF announced a withdrawal from overseeing the al-Hol camp.
  • The current four-day truce between Syrian government forces and the SDF remains fragile, and The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington is considering a full U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria.