U.S.-backed Forces Transfer IS Suspects to Iraq for Speicher Massacre Trial

Two Islamic State (IS) militants suspected of involvement in the 2014 Speicher massacre have been handed over to Iraqi authorities by US-backed Kurdish-led forces in Syria, according to a war monitor.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Friday that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) transferred the two IS suspects to Iraq following the Iraqi National Intelligence Service's announcement of bringing back three IS members from outside the country. However, the intelligence service provided no further details.

The Speicher massacre refers to the execution of an estimated 1,700 Iraqi soldiers who were captured by IS after the group took control of Tikrit in 2014. The soldiers were fleeing Camp Speicher, a former U.S. base, when they were massacred.

Graphic images of the executions were released by IS shortly after the incident, sparking outrage across Iraq and contributing to the mobilization of Shiite militias to fight against the extremist group.

In the years since the massacre, Iraq has executed dozens of IS members for their involvement in the Speicher tragedy. The Observatory stated that the two suspects transferred by the SDF were among 20 IS militants captured during a joint operation with the U.S.-led coalition in Raqqa, Syria, the former capital of the IS caliphate.

Despite its defeat in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019, IS sleeper cells continue to operate and carry out attacks against SDF and Syrian government forces.

On Friday night, a car bomb driven by a suicide attacker attempted to ram a checkpoint manned by the Deir el-Zour Military Council, part of the SDF, in the eastern Syrian village of Shuheil. Three U.S.-backed fighters were killed when guards attempted to stop the vehicle.

The SDF, which currently holds over 10,000 captured IS fighters in detention facilities, has announced plans to conduct trials for the suspects. However, the timing of these trials remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, Kurdish authorities in northeastern Syria have been coordinating with Iraqi authorities to transfer IS suspects for trial and repatriation. The SDF has repeatedly called on foreign countries to take back their nationals captured while fighting for IS.

The ongoing pursuit of justice for the victims of the Speicher massacre underscores the continuing efforts to hold IS accountable for its atrocities. As the threat posed by sleeper cells persists, the international community remains vigilant in combating extremism and providing support to affected nations.