Iraqi court sentences 16 Turkish women to death over Daesh links

An Iraqi court has sentenced 16 Turkish women to death for being members of Daesh, according to a judicial official on Sunday.

Abdul Sattar Bayraktar, the spokesman of Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council, said the Central Criminal Court had issued the sentences against 16 women who were found to be members of Daesh.

He added the convicts were Turkish citizens who had "provided logistical support to Daesh and had married militants of the organisation".

The sentences were issued under Iraq's counterterrorism law, however, the defendants still have a chance to appeal to a higher court.

Another Turkish woman was sentenced to death last week and 10 others of various nationalities to life in prison, all for alleged Daesh membership.

A German woman was sentenced to death last month for belonging to the terrorist group and a Russian fighter was also sentenced to death in Iraq last year for joining Daesh.

Iraq has handed over to Russia four women and 27 children suspected of having ties to the group, the foreign ministry said on Thursday, adding that they were "tricked" into joining the terrorists.

Iraq declared victory in December over Daesh, which had seized control of nearly a third of the country in 2014. 

The group has been driven out of all population centres it once controlled on both sides of the Iraqi-Syrian border, but members have continued to carry out bombings and other attacks in Iraq.