U.S. Forces Launch Mission in Syria to Transfer Detainees to Iraq

15 Feb

Guards stand in a corridor in a prison run by the Syrian Democratic Forces and housing alleged ISIS members in Hasakah in northeastern Syria in January 2025 [File: Bernat Armangue/AP]

On January 21st, 2026, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched a new mission to transfer “ISIS-associated” detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq. The move caused a great deal of concern among human rights advocates around the world who expressed alarm over the US coordinating the mass illegal rendition and refoulement of detainees of many nationalities to Iraq without assessing the risks of serious human rights violations including inhumane detention conditions, torture, unfair trials and the death penalty.

Many articles on the subject have since appeared in the press, once again shining a spotlight on the arbitrary detention of Jack Letts. Jack's mother, Sally Lane comments on one such article:

“The 10-year-long struggle to correct the narrative on Jack continues.

Although this article challenges some of the myths established over the years, some untruths remain:

For instance, in contradiction to this piece, Jack has always denied joining IS, even when it was dangerous to do so. He was imprisoned by IS three times. He confirmed in a CTV News interview last year that he never took the IS pledge - the minimum requirement of an IS member.

It was also established at Old Bailey during our, his parents', trial that he was fleeing IS, who wanted to kill him, when he was captured by YPG in 2017.

We, his parents, were found not guilty of sending £1k to him to allow him to escape Syria because this money was sent to save his life. After our trial, UK police were even forced to give us back this £1k, which had been impounded by them.

YPG reportedly bought him for $10,000 because he was high-profile due to being featured in UK tabloids.

His ITV interview where he gave a false confession was conducted under coercion while armed Asayish were present. He was later able to tell a UK lawyer that nothing he said in this ITV interview was true.

The fact that I am having to repeat these truths 10 years on - making no dent at all in the established narrative - shows how British and Canadian governments and press have colluded in the absolute injustice of Jack's case, where he has been held incommunicado, is being destroyed body and soul by his captors who are funded by the West, and is now being sent for execution in Iraq.”