Iraq is pushing back against the overwhelming task of securing ISIS captives, demanding that the European Union play its part. Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein conveyed this during a call with Kaja Kallas, EU’s foreign affairs lead, declaring that Iraq lacks the resources to manage the economic load single-handedly.
Focus turned to Syria’s Hasakah region, where SDF-held facilities have seen ISIS breakouts, fueling concerns over the group’s revival. The ministers stressed sustaining truces and resolving conflicts peacefully, with Europe urged to facilitate SDF-Syrian government negotiations for solid pacts.
Hussein shared insights from his Iran engagements against a backdrop of regional instability, advocating deeper EU collaboration. Kallas appreciated Iraq’s preliminary nod to receive ISIS detainees from Syria, starting with 150 moved to secure Iraqi sites.
U.S. Central Command outlined this as phase one of a plan shifting thousands more to Iraq. Prime Minister al-Sudani had previously appealed to Macron for EU countries to repatriate their citizens detained for ISIS ties.
This unfolding crisis reveals the long shadow of the caliphate’s defeat. Iraq’s prisons are filling up, and without multinational support, the hard-won victories against ISIS risk unraveling. The ball is in Europe’s court.