‘US pushes for repatriation of ISIL detainees to home countries from Syria’
WASHINGTON

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Michael Erik Kurilla traveled to Syria on Jan. 16 to engage in talks, reaffirming Washington's commitment to repatriate foreign ISIL detainees from camps in northeastern Syria and continue efforts for their returns to their countries.
Kurilla met with U.S. military commanders and servicemembers as well as members of the PKK/YPG-led SDF that Washington sees as its partners to fight ISIL in Syria.
Türkiye has long complained of the U.S. working with the PKK/YPG on the pretext of fighting ISIL.
He also visited the al-Hol camp in northern Syria, which is run by the PKK/YPG terror group.
"Without international repatriation, rehabilitation and reintegration efforts, these camps risk creating the next generation of ISIL. Additionally, over 9,000 ISIL detainees from over 50 different countries remain in over a dozen SDF guarded detention facilities in Syria, a literal and figurative 'ISIL Army' in detention," CENTCOM said.
Kurilla said that "CENTCOM remains focused on supporting the repatriation of al Hol and al-Roj camp residents back to their countries of origin."
"Gen. Kurilla also reiterated that CENTCOM will continue to work with the international community to transfer ISIL fighters to their countries of origin for final adjudication," it added.
[HH] Barzani meets with YPG in Irbil
In a related development, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani held talks with the head of the YPG terrorist organization in Irbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq.
A senior official from the party described the meeting as a “significant achievement to strengthen Kurdish unity and position” during Syria’s transitional phase.
Another KDP member said that the talks between Barzani and YPG focused on unifying the Kurdish position within Syria and exploring ways to separate SDF led by YPG terrorists from PKK.
He said that the KDP leader had argued that such a move could open doors for broader international support, particularly through KDP’s relationships with both the United States and Türkiye.
The official said that Barzani also stressed the importance of presenting a united Kurdish front in Syria to negotiate with the new de facto Syrian government from a position of strength.