Russia and Turkey are preparing to take back citizens of their countries who are currently held in Iraqi prisons for joining ISIS.
The announcements by the two countries come with Iraq eager to be rid of thousands of ISIS fighters recently transferred from Syria in a US-led operation.
Iraq is holding 5,704 suspected ISIS fighters from 61 countries. They include 160 Turks and 130 Russians.
The Iraqi government has said it will try the men on terrorism charges in its own legal system, but is calling on other countries, especially EU states, to take back their citizens.
Iraq's embassy in Moscow said Russian Deputy Interior Minister Igor Zubov expressed “his readiness to resolve outstanding issues” over the detainees.
The minister “pledged to open direct communication channels with the embassy to streamline procedures, expedite steps and ensure direct co-ordination on various matters of mutual interest”, said the embassy.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said on Monday that Baghdad had reached an agreement with Ankara on the return of Turkish citizens, and was in talks with others.
Mr Hussein said Iraq was calling on “states across the world to recover their citizens who’ve been involved in terrorist acts so that they are tried in their countries of origin”.
Turkey said it appreciates Baghdad’s efforts to absorb the detainees. “It appears that there are also Turkish citizens among those detainees. Turkey is ready to engage with Iraqi authorities about Turkish citizens,” a Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters.
“Iraq’s efforts should set an example to the international community. It is essential that all foreign terrorist fighters be repatriated by countries of origin.”
The National revealed this month that the majority of the detainees are Syrian, while Iraqis make up the second largest group with 271. There are 208 from Tunisia, 160 from Turkey, 142 Moroccans and 100 Egyptians. Other Arab, European and Asian countries are among the nationalities.
Thousands of Iraqis and foreign nationals convicted of links to ISIS are already held in Iraqi prisons. Iraqi officials are concerned about renewed ISIS activity in the country. They are worried the group will exploit security gaps in Syria after the escape of some detainees during the chaotic takeover of the north-east by government forces.
