ISIS Occupies Terrorist Prisons in Syria!

Jakarta –

A number of suspects reportedly managed to escape, since hundreds of ISIS fighters occupied Gweiran prison in the Kurdish-controlled city of Hasakah, northeastern Syria, last Thursday (20/1) night. This attack was reported to be the largest Islamic State (ISIS) military operation since the fall of the caliphate in 2019.

Currently, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have claimed to have surrounded the attackers. As of Monday (24/1), between 150 and 200 ISIS militants were reported to be still entrenched in one wing of the prison. At least 27 SDF soldiers died in the fighting.

Gweiran, which houses 3,500 suspected ISIS militants or sympathizers, including 600 children, is the largest terrorist prison in Syria today.

SDF spokesman Farhad Shami said ISIS used the hundreds of children as human shields while fortifying themselves in prisons. The reason is direct attack is not possible.

The United Nations Children’s Agency, UNICEF, responded to this by demanding the release of minor hostages, while warning that a wave of violence could spread to other prisons housing suspected insurgents or Islamic State families.

War emergency in Hasakah

“Despite being defeated militarily, Daesh (Islamic State) still poses an existential threat to the region,” said Major General John Brennan, a U.S. military officer who spearheaded joint military operations against ISIS.

“Because of its shattered capabilities, Daesh’s future hinges on their ability to recruit or gather new fighters through pathetic endeavors,” such as attacks on prisons, he added.

The US claims IS militants emptied out their arsenal and attempted to damage a new facility under construction next to the Gweiran prison complex. Siamand Ali, another SDF spokesman, said IS attempted to carry out two attacks on al-Sinaa prison on Sunday (23/1). Both were successfully thwarted, he said.

Since Monday, the Kurdish government has imposed a curfew for the whole week to prevent IS from sending reinforcements to those in prison. Yesterday, a military helicopter reportedly flew around the city to distribute pamphlets asking residents to report suspicious persons. Hundreds of civilians began to flee the city, the AP reports.

Islamic State itself celebrates the attack in Hasakah as a success. Through its Aamaq news agency, the group claimed the operation was initiated by a suicide attack by two foreign insurgents using two trucks loaded with bombs that exploded near the prison’s main gate.

Two combat units continued the attack by storming the prison and a Kurdish soldier’s post, and cutting off support lines for SDF soldiers. While inside, IS convicts are rioting and holding prison officers hostage. At least 800 militants have been released, ISIS claims.

rzn / hp (ap, afp)

(ita / ita)

–