• Iraq transferred more than 5,000 Islamic State detainees from Syria to its prisons.
• The US military facilitated the transfer at Baghdad's request, enhancing regional security.
• Officials noted a recent increase in Islamic State activities in Syria.
• Of the detainees, over 3,000 are Syrian nationals.
• Iraq seeks financial assistance to manage the influx of detainees.

Iraq has recently completed the transfer of over 5,000 Islamic State (IS) detainees from Syria, with U.S. military support facilitating the move. The transfers began on January 21 and were requested by the Iraqi government, with the U.S. Central Command indicating that over 5,700 adults were included in the operation, according to Reuters, Al Jazeera, and Los Angeles Times.

The U.S. military has actively involved itself in overseeing the transport of these detainees, which originated from facilities previously managed by Kurdish forces in Syria. U.S. officials emphasized the importance of this transfer for preventing future security threats, especially amidst recent clashes in Syria, noting a potential resurgence of IS group activities if these individuals remained in insecure conditions, as reported by Reuters and Al Jazeera.

The Iraqi Ministry of Justice identified that among the detainees, over 3,000 are Syrian nationals, and the legal proceedings for these prisoners will occur under Iraqi law. As part of this operation, the ministry highlighted that they require further financial support to manage the increased responsibilities posed by the intake of these detainees, as indicated by Los Angeles Times and Al Jazeera.

Moreover, the ongoing dialogue about the transfer of IS detainees signals a shift in international and regional counter-IS strategy, indicating that the Syrian government is increasingly becoming the U.S.'s main partner in this effort. This represents a significant change in U.S. policy during its operations against the Islamic State, moving from reliance on the Syrian Democratic Forces to cooperating more closely with the Syrian regime, according to Los Angeles Times and Al Jazeera.