Baghdad attacks raise alarm over ISIS detainee prison

2026-03-18 - 19:31

Shafaq News- Baghdad Escalating drone and rocket attacks near Baghdad International Airport are raising concerns about the security of Karkh Central Prison, which houses thousands of detainees linked to ISIS, including high-risk figures transferred from Syria. Strikes in recent days have landed close to the facility, prompting Iraqi officials and analysts to warn that continued attacks could expose vulnerabilities at one of the country’s most sensitive detention sites. Justice Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Laibi said the risk is concentrated at Karkh prison due to its location near the airport, pointing to drone activity and incoming projectiles that could damage infrastructure. He added that prisons remain secured but acknowledged that repeated incidents could strain precautionary measures. Security analysts warned that any breach involving ISIS detainees could have serious consequences. Military expert Alaa al-Nashua said the group has previously exploited instability to regroup, cautioning that any escape scenario could revive its activity. Security expert Mustafa Ajil described the prison’s location as a strategic risk, particularly given the presence of senior ISIS figures, many of them foreign nationals. He urged authorities to relocate high-risk detainees to facilities in southern provinces and disperse them across multiple sites. The Iraqi National Security Advisory warned earlier that repeated attacks near the airport pose a direct threat to the prison’s safety. In February 2026, United States Central Command oversaw the transfer of around 5,700 high-risk ISIS detainees from Syria to Iraq. The developments come amid a broader regional escalation following a US-Israeli campaign against Iran launched on Feb. 28, with the conflict expanding across multiple fronts in the region.