Belgian terrorist fighters still in Syria will not be allowed to return to Belgium, Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot has said.
The comments come as the United States seeks to transfer up to 7,000 captured Islamic State members from Syria to Iraq.
According to US Central Command, the first 150 detainees have already been moved. The situation in north-eastern Syria remains highly unstable, with clashes between Kurdish forces and the Syrian government army.
Earlier this week, unrest between the Syrian army and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces led to the escape of several ISIS members from a prison near the city of al-Shaddadi. A curfew was imposed to search for the fugitives, many of whom have since been recaptured.
Speaking in parliament on Thursday in response to a question from N-VA MP Jeroen Bergers, Prévot said Belgium's security services were closely monitoring developments on the ground.
The Syrian Democratic Forces are currently holding an estimated 10,000 foreign ISIS fighters from around 40 countries. Their main detention camp is located in al-Hol, which has now fallen into the hands of the Syrian government army.
The US military has also reported that, together with regional partners, it captured more than 300 ISIS fighters and killed over 20 others in 2025.
The United States has long relied on Kurdish fighters as de facto ground troops in its campaign against ISIS, supported by US air power.
However, the Kurdish semi-autonomous administration in north-eastern Syria appears to be nearing collapse, with government forces advancing rapidly despite a ceasefire agreed on Sunday.
Prévot reiterated his call for a "peaceful and inclusive" political transition in Syria, describing the current situation as "very problematic".
