Baghdad: Iraq has affirmed its categorical rejection of being a permanent repository for foreign terrorists, stressing the necessity for all concerned countries to repatriate their citizens who are members of the ISIS terrorist group.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release that Iraq participated in the meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Monday, February 9, 2026, with a delegation headed by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Multilateral and Legal Affairs, Ambassador Shorsh Khalid Saeed.

The statement added that at the outset of the meeting, the head of the Iraqi delegation expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the co-chairs of the meeting, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, emphasizing the importance of holding this meeting in light of the current circumstances and developments in the region.

The Iraqi delegation indicated that the Iraqi government had made a temporary decision to approve the transfer of a number of ISIS detainees to detention centers within Iraq, in coordination with the international coalition and the US Central Command, as an urgent security and preventative measure that could not be postponed.

In this context, Iraq affirmed its categorical rejection of becoming a permanent repository for foreign terrorists, stressing the necessity for all concerned countries to repatriate their citizens who are members of the ISIS terrorist organization.

Lieutenant General Qais al-Muhammadawi, from the Joint Operations Command, explained in his address that the competent Iraqi courts have begun investigating the individuals who were handed over, emphasizing that anyone who committed crimes on Iraqi soil will be tried according to Iraqi law.

According to the statement, the Iraqi delegation called on the international coalition and the international community to intensify efforts to search for the Yazidi abductees and other abducted individuals from various communities, numbering more than 2,500, and to work diligently to resolve this humanitarian issue.

Iraq also expressed its welcome for the comprehensive ceasefire agreement reached between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the understandings included in the agreement stipulating the integration of the institutions of the Autonomous Administration into the institutions of the Syrian state, which contributes to strengthening stability and supporting the political solution process in Syria.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Iraqi delegation held a number of bilateral meetings with the heads of the participating delegations, during which they urged the concerned countries to repatriate their citizens who were members of the organization and to provide the necessary support in this regard.

In the closing session, the head of the Iraqi delegation, Ambassador Shorsh Khalid Saeed, announced that the Iraqi government proposed Baghdad as the host of the next meeting of the international coalition, a proposal welcomed by the participating countries. Iraq reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to working with the international coalition, emphasizing that the final defeat of ISIS will not be achieved unless the international community fully assumes its responsibilities without double standards or selectivity. The Iraqi representative warned that leaving the issues of foreign prisoners and camps unresolved poses a threat not only to Iraq but also to regional and international security.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the participating countries commended Iraq’s pivotal role in the international coalition and its fight against terrorism. This was reflected in the enthusiastic applause from the participants, expressing their appreciation for the proactive efforts undertaken by the Iraqi government in combating terrorism.