Moscow, Baghdad in talks over female prisoners with Islamic State links
Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – Moscow and Baghdad are now engaged in talks to allow Russian women jailed in Iraq over links to Islamic State to be moved to their homeland so as to serve jail sentences there, an official source was quoted as saying.
Speaking to Alsumaria News on Saturday, the source said Russian authorities have been exerting “strenuous efforts over the past few weeks to carry Russian female prisoners in Iraq to their homeland in order to serve their jail terms there” after they were found guilty of joining and collaborating with Islamic State.
The source, however, highlighted that the lack of a prisoner exchange agreement between Iraq and Russia could hinder the Russian efforts.
Iraq has sentenced several foreign nationals to death and life in prison over involvement with the Islamic State during the extremist group’s three-year occupation of large parts of the country.
Iraq is holding hundreds of foreign wives and children of Islamic State militants who were captured as Iraqi forces gradually seized back territories held by the extremist group since 2014. The government declared victory over IS last December.
Authorities say they are coordinating with other countries to extradite those held who are not convicted of terrorism.