ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Russian minister of state on Wednesday expressed Moscow’s readiness to repatriate Islamic State (ISIS)-linked prisoners of Russian nationality from Iraq, as Baghdad ramps up efforts to return the foreign detainees transported from Syria.

Russian Minister of State Igor Nikolayevich Zubov met with Iraq’s Ambassador to Moscow, Abdul Karim Hashim Mustafa, in the Russian capital, with the latter conveying Baghdad’s request  to repatriate its citizens suspected of links with the terror group currently detained in Iraq,

In response, Zubov expressed Russia’s “readiness to repatriate the prisoners of Russian nationality after verifying their citizenship,” coming in contrast to many European nations that reject such a prospect.

Iraq agreed to take in just over 5,700 ISIS prisoners from its neighbor after the turmoil caused by a January Syrian government offensive in Rojava (northeast Syria) raised fears that detention centers, previously operated by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), would be unable to maintain security amid the conflict.

Days prior, a senior Iraqi security official said that the transfer of ISIS prisoners from Syria is “not permanent,” as Baghdad is working to repatriate them to over 67 countries of origin.

However, several countries, including Australia and the Netherlands, have refused to repatriate their nationals who traveled to Syria during the organization’s reign of terror to join what they call the Islamic Caliphate.

A Dutch foreign ministry spokesperson told the Dutch public broadcaster last week that Amsterdam has no plans to repatriate its citizens, citing national security concerns, and asserting that the prosecution of accused individuals should take place in the region where the crimes were committed.

In addition, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in an interview with state media, dismissed reports of repatriating ISIS prisoners of Australian nationality, arguing that “if you make your bed, you lie in it.”

On Tuesday, Iraq’s justice ministry confirmed that ISIS prisoners of foreign nationalities recently transferred from Syria who are facing the death penalty are exempt from repatriation.

The US military and the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS have been heavily involved in facilitating the transfers.