U.S. will hand over prisoners of war

BAGHDAD — The U.S. will hand over to Iraqi authorities nearly 50 Islamic State members who were transferred from Syria in recent days, two Iraqi intelligence officials said Thursday.

The officials said the Islamic State members were expected to be handed over by Friday. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

The move comes after Turkey began a military offensive into northern Syria against U.S.backed Kurdishled fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces who are holding more than 10,000 Islamic State members. Those include some 2,000 foreigners, including about 800 Europeans.

President Trump said Wednesday that some of the “most dangerous” Islamic State members had been moved, but he provided no details.

U.S. officials said Wednesday that two British militants believed to be part of an Islamic State group that beheaded hostages and was known as “the Beatles” have been moved out of a detention center in Syria and are in American custody.

There are concerns that with the assault unfolding in northeastern Syria, the Kurdishled forces in charge of guarding the detainees won’t be able to secure them or would divert forces to fend off against advancing Turkish forces.

Initially, Trump said before the assault began that Turkey would be responsible for all Islamic State fighters in the area. It was not clear how that would be implemented.