France to push Iraq for judicial framework to try ISIS jihadists

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will reportedly be discussing a judicial framework for putting jihadists on trial as he believes that Iraq needs an international court to judge the extremists. Along with France, other European countries including Britain, Belgium, German, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark have also been discussing to set up an international court in Iraq for putting Islamic State (IS) jihadists on trial. All seven countries have reportedly also taken part in a technical mission to Baghdad to assess the situation and had learned from the Iraqi authorities about the daunting task they are facing in bringing Daesh to justice in rebuilding the society. 

Le Drian says, "We need to work things out with the Iraqi authorities so that we can find a way to have a judicial mechanism that is able to judge all these fighters, including obviously the French fighters."

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Vital to support Baghdad

The French Foreign minister believes it is vital to offer support to Baghdad as it was in danger of seeing the hardline militant group revive its activities in northwest Iraq. The European states are also planning to shift thousands of foreign IS militants out of Syrian prison camps and into Iraq as the outbreak of fresh conflict in Syria has reportedly raised the risk of jihadists escaping or returning home. Hundreds of foreigners have also been sentenced to death or life imprisonment in Iraq for belonging to IS. According to the reports eight French citizens have further been sentenced to death in Iraq but none of the executions have been carried out. 

Concerns regarding controversial Turkish offensive in northern Syria targeting Kurdish Forces could also lead to a mass prison outbreak of jihadists captured by the Kurds. Turkey has further accused Kurdish forces of deliberately releasing IS prisoners held at a prison in the Syrian border town of Tal Abyad in a reported attempt to fuel chaos in the area. The French Minister claims, “To my knowledge, the Turkish offensive and the positioning of the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) have so far not led to the safety and security of these camps... currently being threatened”

(With inputs from PTI)

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