According to Sky News, Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan talked about the fate of 700 DAESH mercenaries detained in Syria at the meeting held in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, of representatives and force commanders of the 13 countries composing the International Coalition.

The minister said that the fate of the DAESH mercenaries will be determined by the countries whose nationality they belong to and that each country should act according to its own laws.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis confirmed that there are around 700 DAESH mercenaries, from 40 different countries, currently under SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) custody.

Mattis said that some countries had expressed concern at the idea of taking back the mercenaries, as this could actually favour the spread of radicalism. However the SDF has put the issue on the table of the International Coalition as the mercenaries cannot be kept in their hands forever.

795 mercenaries from 46 countries

Northern and Eastern Syria Autonomous Administration Co-Chair, Abdulkerîm Omer, confirmed that the SDF arrested 795 foreign mercenaries from 46 different countries. In addition there are 584 women, wives of the mercenaries and 1,248 children.

Omer said that the mercenaries had be returned to their countries of origin and that those countries, so far, have refrained from taking their responsibility. He added that the issue continued to be discussed.