US-BACKED SDF STILL FIGHTING ISLAMIC STATE IN HASAKA PRISON

Fri 28 January 2022:

Despite declaring victory in the week-long standoff with the group on Wednesday, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Thursday that 60 to 90 Islamic State (ISIS) militants remain in the northern part of the Hasaka prison.

“Our forces uncovered camouflaged terrorist enclaves in the prison’s northern dormitories where between 60 and 90- estimated terrorists barricaded themselves and maintain a distance for the clash,” a statement from the SDF read, adding that their forces have made a call for safe surrender, however in case of refusing to surrender they will be dealt with “firmly”.

The number of prisoners held in the facility is unconfirmed, but the building was believed to hold around 5,000 ISIS prisoners.

Following an attempted jailbreak by ISIS on the building housing thousands of its affiliates, fighting continued for seven days in and around the prison, officially named al-Sina’a prison but known to locals as Ghweran prison, in Hasaka province, northeast Syria. On Wednesday, footage circulated by the Syrian North Press Agency showed an Apache helicopter and the sound of heavy gunfire.

Since last Thursday, fighting in and around the prison has killed 181 people, including 124 ISIS jihadists, 50 Kurdish fighters, and seven civilians, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Although ISIS lost most areas under its control in Syria in recent years, the group still maintains presence in the desert Badia area from where it launches sporadic attacks.

It is estimated that around 10,000 militants still operate for the ISIS group in both Syria and Iraq.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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