BAGHDAD, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council announced Monday that preliminary interrogations have been completed for more than 500 Islamic State detainees recently transferred from Syrian prisons.
In a statement, the council said 157 minors under 18 were separated from the group and referred to the Karkh Juvenile Investigation Court. They will be placed in rehabilitation centers to ensure treatment in line with legal and humanitarian standards.
The move is part of a wider transfer effort involving thousands of foreign nationals suspected of IS ties. On Friday, Iraq's National Center for International Judicial Cooperation reported that 5,704 IS detainees representing 61 nationalities have been moved from Syrian prisons to Iraq.
The operation was carried out with international support. U.S. Central Command confirmed Thursday that it concluded a 23-day mission to help ensure the detainees' security in Iraqi detention facilities. ■
