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An Uncertain Future: Prospects for ISIS Detainees in Syria and Iraq

By March 23, 2021November 28th, 2021Editorials and Policy Papers, Mailchimp, News, Print

As published by the Middle East Institute

With Charles Lister, Eric Oehlerich, Vero Minonova, Sara Kayyali, and Mick Mulroy

Two years after the territorial defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, tens of thousands of fighters and associated civilians remain in various forms of detention, with little sign of any meaningful solution to their status. Until now, few Western governments have proven willing to repatriate their citizens, choosing instead to leave them in the region, where security is weak and humanitarian conditions are dire. Multilateral efforts to determine the prospects for localized judicial mechanisms have failed, leaving behind an unsustainable crisis that threatens long-term security. The Middle East Institute (MEI) is pleased to host a panel of experts in this timely and important discussion.