BÊRÎTAN SARYA

News Center- Between 2014 and 2019, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the YPG and YPJ waged a fight against ISIS across North and East Syria. In the four-year fight, more than 10,000 fighters of the SDF lost their lives and thousands of civilians were killed in the attacks of ISIS.

On August 3, 2014, ISIS attacked Shengal (Sinjar), abducting about 7,000 Yazidi women and children to sell them in slave markets. About 2,700 Yazidi women, abducted by ISIS, are still missing.

Although ISIS still poses a threat to the region and the world, the International Coalition to Defeat ISIS and relevant countries have left the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) alone with the problem of detained ISIS members.

Two “Peoples’ Defense Court” were established in 2014 in North and East Syria for terrorist crimes. These courts have tried and sentenced nearly 8,300 ISIS members in nine years.

When the last areas controlled by ISIS were liberated in March 2019, thousands of ISIS members surrendered or were arrested by the SDF. Since 2019, they have been held in prisons controlled by the AANES.

On June 10, 2023, the AANES announced in a written statement that it would establish a tribunal to prosecute more than 10,000 foreign ISIS members held in prisons according to regional and international laws. The prosecution process of about 10,000 foreign ISIS members from 60 countries will start in the coming days.

In the region, the only problem is not the ISIS prisoners; in North and East Syria, which is subjected to Turkish attacks and airstrikes every day, the wives and children of ISIS members, are detained in Roj and al-Hol camps and they try to impose the mentality of ISIS on Syrians and Iraqis in the camps. The population of al-Hol camp is 49,609 and almost every day murders are committed in the camp. The wives of ISIS members educate their children according to the mentality of ISIS in the camp and this poses a great threat to the region.

In an interview with NuJINHA, Gulistan Eli, member of the Foreign Affairs of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, talked about the threat posed by ISIS members held in prisons and camps and the prosecution process of about 10,000 foreign ISIS members from 60 countries.

On June 10, 2023, the AANES announced in a written statement that it would establish a tribunal to prosecute more than 10,000 foreign ISIS members held in prisons. It is known that the problem of detained ISIS members in the region is an international problem. Why did the AANES decide to prosecute the foreign ISIS members held in prisons?

In my opinion, the decision of the AANES to prosecute ISIS members is normal. Because ISIS members carried out all kinds of terrorist and brutal attacks against the people of North and East Syria. They beheaded hundreds of people and killed hundreds of children. Millions had to leave their houses and homeland to flee from the atrocity of ISIS. They abducted women and sold them in slave markets. In the 21st century, when women's freedom struggle grew stronger all around the world, ISIS members enslaved women, sold them in the slave markets.

“We have called on the relevant countries many times’

When the last area controlled by ISIS was liberated, the areas liberated from ISIS began to organize themselves under the umbrella of the AANES. The ISIS members, who were arrested or surrendered during the liberation of the last area controlled by ISIS, were sent to prisons and their wives and children were sent to camps. We thought these prisons and camps would be temporary. Since then, the AANES has called on the relevant countries many times to repatriate their citizens from prisons and camps and prosecute them. In our calls, we said that an international tribunal should be set up to prosecute ISIS members.

However, these countries have remained silent against our calls. And this situation poses a great threat to our region. The conflicts in our region continue. The invading Turkish state carries out attacks on our region every day. It uses  artillery and drones in the attacks. The ongoing Turkish attacks strengthen ISIS sleeper cells. For this reason, all our defense forces such as the SDF, YPG, YPJ and the Civil Defense Forces (HPC) have to be in position to protect people and themselves. The Turkish state has carried out attacks on the region to annihilate this society and its attacks have been intensified day by day.

ISIS members held in prisons and in al-Hol camp are very dangerous. If no measures are taken against them, they will reorganize and become stronger. The attack on Ghweiran prison last year revealed the support of the Turkish state to ISIS. Dozens of fighters lost their lives while defending the prison.

Did you receive any response from the countries, whose citizens have been held in prison in North and East Syria after the AANES announced that it would establish a tribunal to prosecute more than 10,000 foreign ISIS members held in prisons?

Now, there are 10,000 ISIS detainees from about 60 countries in prisons. Since the AANES announced that it would prosecute foreign ISIS members in prison, no countries have officially got in touch with us about their citizens. They have only asked us how and when ISIS members will be prosecuted.

Could you give us information about how foreign ISIS members in prison will be prosecuted?

The ISIS members will be prosecuted according to the laws of the AANES. Because the laws of the AANES are based on human rights. We have two courts called “Peoples’ Defense Court” in Qamishlo and Kobane. How the prosecution of ISIS members are still discussed. After the discussions, the prosecution process will start. The trials will be open to the press. Thus, journalists and everyone will be able to ask their questions.

The trials will be open to everyone. In addition, the people, who were subjected to violence by ISIS members or whose children and relatives were killed or martyred by ISIS members will be able to file a complaint and a lawsuit against ISIS members.

The discussions on how the prosecution will be and how complaints and lawsuits can be filed continue. These issues will become clear soon.

‘Male and female ISIS members in prison will be prosecuted’

There are female ISIS members in prison. The wives and children of ISIS members stay in camps. Will female ISIS members in prison be prosecuted?

There is no difference between men and women when it comes to terrorism. Female ISIS members held in prison are women, who committed crimes against humanity and killed people. They will also be prosecuted.

But the situation of the wives of ISIS members is somewhat different. Yes, they joined ISIS and helped ISIS but they did not commit crimes like female ISIS members. For this reason, instead of prosecuting them, we hand them over to their countries when their countries demand it. Investigations are launched to find out if some of these women killed people and committed serious crimes,

Women were the most affected by ISIS attacks. Thousands of Yazidi women were abducted and sold in slave markets by ISIS. Will women participate in the prosecution process of ISIS members?

Yes, women were the most affected by ISIS attacks. But ISIS was defeated by women, the fighters of the YPJ. This shows that no one can break the strong will of women. Women will give their message to ISIS when ISIS members are prosecuted. The prosecution of ISIS members will boost women’s confidence and morale. When ISIS members are prosecuted and punished, this will be the message of the Dozens of women, who lost their lives while fighting ISIS.

About your question, the discussions on how the prosecution process will be going on.  When these discussions are concluded, we will release a statement.

The ISIS members held in prisons and camps still pose a threat to our region and to the whole world. We ask everyone to support the AANES about the prosecution of ISIS members. We can overcome this threat together. We also ask for the support of women’s organizations and movements. All women’s organizations and movements should support the women of North and East Syria.