Iraq leader says foreign fighters who joined ISIS could face death penalty

As debate continues over how Western countries should deal with citizens who have gone abroad to join ISIS, Iraqi President BarhamSalihsays foreignerstried in Iraq for fighting with the militant group could be handed death sentences.

The ISIS fighters "will be tried in accordance to Iraqi lawand may be sentenced to death if found guilty" of killingIraqis, Salih was quoted as saying in an interviewpublished byAbuDhabi-based newspaper The National.

U.S.-backed forces in Syria handed over some 280 Iraqi andforeign suspected ISIS members last month, Iraq'smilitary said. More are expected under anagreement to transfer some 500 detainees held by U.S.-backedforces in Syria.

"There are certain cases in which some of these foreignfighters have been implicated in cases of terrorism on Iraqi soil or against Iraqi citizens. Here Iraqi law will takeprecedence," he said.

'Too much to ask of Iraq'

Iraq has said it will either helprepatriate non-Iraqi ISIS detainees to their home countries, orprosecute those suspected of having committed crimes againstIraq and Iraqis.

Under Iraqi law, ISIS members convicted of attacking Iraqiscould face the death penalty.

But the government has also saidthat it does not expect to have todeal with all ISIS fighters transferred from Syria.

Meanwhile, Western countries remain divided in their approach to handling citizens who joined the group. The U.K. has moved to strip citizenship from British teen ShamimaBegum who joined the group at 15 with two other school girls.U.S. authorities haveargued that Hoda Muthana, an American-born woman, is not in fact a citizen.

Several countries are already working quietly to repatriate minors on a case-by-case basis. Of more than 5,000 Europeans most from Britain, France, Germany and Belgium who went to fight in Syria and Iraq, some 1,500 have returned, according to police agency Europol.

'Waiting for the right time to resurge'

For its part, Canada's Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale has said he won't put Canadiandiplomats at risk in Syria to repatriateISIS fighters.

His office has refused to confirm whether it is preparing for the return of any Canadian citizens detained in the conflict. In a statement to CBC News, Goodale's office said Canada has "no legal obligation to facilitate their return."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based war monitor, has saidoperations are underway in easternSyria to announce the end of ISIS there.

Watch Should OttawarepatriateCanadian ISIS members:

Should Ottawa repatriate foreign fighters?

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Jessica Davis and Amarnath Amarasingam on the logistics of the U.S. call for countries to repatriate foreign fighters and prosecute them at home.

But the headof the U.S. military's Central Command, Gen.Joseph Votel, said on Thursday the reduction of Islamic State'sterritorial footprint was a "monumental militaryaccomplishment," but the fight was "far from over."

He said the group has made a"calculated decision topreserve the safety of their families" and its members are "going to ground in remote areas andwaiting for the right time to resurge."

Votel, who oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, also said he isunder no pressure to withdraw forces from Syria by anyspecific date, after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the drawdownof most U.S. troops from Syria.