Iraq, Finland discuss security cooperation, IS prisoner transfer

Alsharq Tribune-Otaify 

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani met with Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen here on Sunday to discuss strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing security cooperation.

A statement by al-Sudani's media office said the talks focused on expanding partnerships in development, economics and technology, as well as expertise exchanges in sustainable development.

The prime minister stressed the need for closer security cooperation, particularly in police training, intelligence sharing, and the adoption of modern security technologies.

On counterterrorism, al-Sudani asserted that transferring Islamic State (IS) prisoners from Syria to Iraq is a sovereign decision aimed at protecting regional and global security, urging the international community to take responsibility to receive foreign IS detainees and bring them to justice.

For her part, Rantanen reaffirmed Finland's commitment to deepening ties and its readiness to explore new horizons in areas of shared interest.

The discussions came as Iraq's National Center for International Judicial Cooperation reported on Friday that 5,704 IS detainees had been transferred from Syrian prisons to Iraqi custody.