Iraq says it can help return IS fighters to their home countries

Iraq's prime minister has said his country could help repatriate captured Islamic State fighters to their home countries if asked.

At his weekly press conference late on Tuesday, Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said Iraq would put on trial foreign fighters who participated in terror attacks in Iraq.  

"It is one battle and Iraq should fulfill its duties and obligations," he said.

Iraqi President Barham Saleh, during his visit to France on Monday, said that 13 French Islamic State group detainees will be tried in Iraq.

"They are accused of having commanded operations against Iraqis and Iraqi installations in Iraq, and they will be tried according to Iraqi law," Saleh said. "We are acting within the confines of international law on this matter."

The 13 French IS fighters were among the hundreds of militants captured in Syria by the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and transferred to Iraq last week. This included more than 200 Iraqi IS militants, of which there are around 500.

US President Donald Trump called earlier this month for countries to take back and try their own nationals. Germany and France issued strong rebuttals to his call.

The SDF has also urged countries such as the UK and France to take back their citizens.

As Syrian-Kurdish forces prepare to defeat IS and take over its last territory in Baghouz, they are struggling with the intake of thousands of civilians fleeing the area.

"As thousands of foreigners flee [IS'] crumbling caliphate, the burden which is already too heavy for us to handle is getting even heavier," SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"This will remain as the biggest challenge awaiting us unless governments take action and fulfil their responsibilities for their citizens," he said.