The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said that al-Shaddadi Prison in al-Hasakah governorate (northeastern Syria), which holds detainees from the Islamic State (IS), has slipped out of its control after repeated attacks by the Syrian government.
In a statement issued on Monday, 19 January, the SDF accused the International Coalition base in the area, about two kilometers from the prison, of failing to intervene despite repeated calls.
According to Enab Baladi’s correspondent in al-Hasakah, a small number of detainees escaped from the prison, and the army is combing the area to search for them.
Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Deir Ezzor (eastern Syria) said that personnel from the Ministry of Defense headed toward al-Shaddadi Prison and were about 10 kilometers away, but had not reached it yet.
Enab Baladi’s correspondent in al-Hasakah also said that a convoy from the International Coalition moved toward al-Shaddadi, and it is expected to take part in handing the prison over to the government, or to supervise the takeover.
For its part, the Syrian army’s Operations Command told official media outlets, including the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), that army units will secure al-Shaddadi Prison and its surroundings, in addition to sweeping al-Shaddadi city south of al-Hasakah, accusing the SDF of releasing detainees.
It added that it will hand al-Shaddadi Prison and the city’s security facilities over to the Ministry of Interior after completing security and sweep operations
The Operations Command said it contacted mediators and SDF leaders to hand the prison over to Internal Security to secure it and its perimeter, but that the SDF leadership refused and is still refusing to do so, according to its statement.
The Operations Command held the SDF responsible for the release of Islamic State detainees from al-Shaddadi Prison, saying it would take whatever measures are needed to restore control in the area.
In al-Raqqa
The SDF’s warnings about prisons holding thousands of Islamic State members have repeatedly surfaced alongside the ongoing military operation against it in eastern Syria.
In this context, the SDF said in another statement that it continues to coordinate with the International Coalition to transfer Islamic State detainees held at al-Aqtan Prison in al-Raqqa city (northern Syria) to safe locations, but that the Coalition, despite repeated promises, has not taken any practical steps so far.
It added that the Syrian army continues its attacks on the prison, while its forces continue to protect the facility and prevent a security breakdown, as it described it.
The SDF said the clashes killed nine of its members and wounded 20 others, adding that fighting around al-Aqtan Prison is still ongoing under what it called “extremely dangerous” security conditions.
From the government to the SDF
In contrast, the Syrian government issued a statement carried by official media, saying the information presented by the Autonomous Administration, the governing arm of the SDF, contains a series of falsehoods and accusations aimed at misleading international public opinion and muddying the waters.
The government said it rejects any attempt to use the terrorism file as a tool of political or security blackmail against the international community, describing it as the political exploitation of terrorism and a form of security pressure and extortion.
It added that insisting on linking law enforcement and the restoration of state legitimacy to the risk of activating “terrorist” cells is a “blatant attempt to invert the facts” and inflame conflict in order to keep in place “an authority imposed by force of arms,” as it put it.
The government affirmed its readiness, through its military and security institutions, to combat “terrorism” as part of international efforts to eliminate the Islamic State group and other “terrorist” organizations.
It also pledged to secure all detention centers in accordance with internationally adopted standards, ensure that no Islamic State detainees escape, and prevent their return to the scene.
The SDF leadership, for its part, warned against what it called reckless steps, including facilitating the escape of Islamic State detainees or opening prisons to them as retaliation or as a political pressure card.
It said that any security breach in these prisons would be the direct responsibility of the party currently in control, and that the Syrian state would treat any such act as a “war crime” and direct collusion with “terrorism” that threatens the security of Syria and the region as a whole.
New agreement
These developments come after an agreement between the government and the SDF on Sunday that provides for a ceasefire, the SDF’s withdrawal to al-Hasakah, and the integration of the administration responsible for the group’s prisons and camps into the government.
The agreement, which included 14 provisions, also stipulated that the Syrian state would continue combating “terrorism” (the Islamic State group) as an active member of the International Coalition, with joint coordination with the United States in this regard to ensure the security and stability of the region.
SDF commander Mazloum Abdi is supposed to be in Damascus now, but the parties have not announced a meeting or any outcomes as of the time of writing.
Enab Baladi correspondents also reported that the government has consolidated its control over all of Deir Ezzor governorate on both the west and east banks of the Euphrates River, and that it took control of al-Raqqa city without notable resistance inside the city.
The Syrian government moves to regain control of al-Shaddadi Prison Enab Baladi.
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