ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — France will repatriate some ISIS suspects in Syria and on their return be jailed until they can be tried in court, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on Tuesday.
Nearly 130 French nationals have been detained by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), BMFTV reported after their interview with Castaner. The SDF are the partnered ground force of the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition.
Those being held in Syria include men and women suspected of fighting or supporting ISIS.
Castaner, a lawyer by trade, added that some of the suspected ISIS members have already returned to Syria and are incarcerated.
The French broadcaster reported that the decision was made following the United States' announcement to withdraw its forces from Syria.
More than 500 nationals are in pre-trial detention or prison on charges of ISIS membership, the report detailed.
Prosecution of suspected ISIS members varies greatly by nationality. Some countries have preferred repatriation, others to be tried locally in Iraq or Syria, and others in military courts. A lack of evidence of specific crimes and movements has also been a barrier to justice in Western courts.
The United States, United Kingdom, and France comprise the bulk of coalition ground forces in Syria.