In a new message to Ahmad al-Sharaa, US President Donald Trump demanded that he take responsibility for the security and administrative activities of detention centers for IS militants in northeastern Syria.

These centers are currently under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). According to SDF sources, these 26 centers in the east of the country hold around 12,000 ISIL militants from more than 50 countries. These detention centers are of great importance from a security and diplomatic perspective, as they are closely monitored by many capitals due to concerns that these individuals may escape or relocate.

The issue of these detention centers is a constant security challenge for Syria and neighboring countries, especially given the lack of a final international decision on the fate of foreign prisoners and the refusal of many countries to repatriate their citizens linked to the organization. However, detention centers are not the only threat. There are camps housing families of IS fighters, notably the Al-Hawl and Roj camps, located in remote areas near the town of Al-Malikiyah in northeastern Syria. The number of Syrians living in these camps is estimated at 15,000, as well as 8,000 women foreigners, many of whom refuse to return to their countries of origin, making deportation or prosecution difficult. Given these new demands from the US, it appears that the issue of “ISIS time bombs” will remain open for any authority, whether the SDF or Damascus, in the absence of a final international decision.