Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the authorities in Kurdistan lack sufficient resources to detain, investigate and prosecute suspected Daesh fighters; what assistance they will offer to address those issues; and what steps they will take to establish an international or regional tribunal to prosecute Daesh fighters.

The UK assesses that the effective prosecution of Daesh fighters in Iraq presents a significant challenge to Iraq's judicial systems, including in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. We are working directly with the judicial systems of the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRI) to build their capacity, as called upon by UN Security Council Resolution 2379 on Daesh Accountability. We have identified areas where we can share expertise and will continue to work closely with Iraq's judiciary to ensure due process and compliance with international law.

Our Embassy in Baghdad has regular discussions with the Government of Iraq and the UN Investigative Team for the Accountability of Daesh (UNITAD), encouraging close co-operation between them to achieve justice for the victims of Daesh's crimes. Through advanced witness protection and support UNITAD is expanding its engagement with witnesses and survivors. We are committed to ensuring that those responsible for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity are brought to justice in accordance with due legal process. The UK will continue to work closely with international partners in addressing the issues associated with foreign terrorist fighters and in the pursuit of justice of those who have participated in terrorism overseas.