Iraq warns of rising IS threat in Syrian prisons

BAGHDAD, Jan 20 (KUNA) -- Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Sudani warned of the rising presence of the so-called Islamic State (IS) and other extremist groups in Syrian prisons, saying the instability there threatens regional security and requires urgent international attention.
Speaking during a meeting with ambassadors of European Union countries accredited to Iraq, Al-Sudani said that his country supports a "transparent and inclusive" political process in Syria, urging concrete steps to reject terrorism, combat extremism, and respect human rights to reassure all Syrian communities.
He affirmed that Iraq considers Syria's stability a national and regional priority, noting that a stable and unified Syria, where all components coexist peacefully, constitutes a fundamental guarantee for regional security.
He also pointed out that Iraq had implemented border security measures two years ago, affirming that the Iraqi security forces are fully prepared to secure the borders.
Al-Sudani's remarks came amid ongoing large-scale military operations and armed clashes in Syria between the Syrian army and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), most of which are taking place along the Iraqi-Syrian border.
In a related development, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met on Tuesday with the US Special Envoy to Syria and US Ambassador to Turkiye Thomas Barrack in Ankara.
The talks followed a Syrian-Kurdish ceasefire and integration agreement reached after Syrian army operations reclaimed large eastern and northeastern areas. (end) ahh.ta.ao