News|Syria's WarISIL fighters flee jail as Syrian army clashes with Kurdish-led SDFSyrian army tells Al Jazeera Arabic it is now in complete control of city of al-Shaddadi in northeast Syria.
The Syrian army has implemented a curfew in al-Shaddadi, located in the country's northeast, following the escape of ISIL fighters from a local prison. This event occurred amid clashes with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) , as reported by…
The Syrian army has implemented a curfew in al-Shaddadi, located in the country's northeast, following the escape of ISIL fighters from a local prison. This event occurred amid clashes with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) , as reported by the state news agency, SANA.
Operational Control and Security Measures
The Syrian army confirmed on Monday that it has regained control over al-Shaddadi and the prison that housed suspected ISIL detainees. Operations are ongoing to locate and apprehend the escaped individuals within the city and its vicinity.
The Syrian Operations Authority stated that the Ministry of Interior will assume control of the al-Aqtan prison and other security facilities in the region, northeast of Raqqa. There is an allegation that the SDF intentionally released ISIL members, although the army did not disclose the number of escapees.
The SDF reported losing control of the prison due to an attack by the Syrian army, a claim the military has denied. The SDF further stated that nine of its members were killed and 20 others injured during conflicts around al-Aqtan. Additionally, the United States-led coalition against ISIL did not intervene despite multiple requests directed to a nearby coalition base.
The Syrian army has implemented a curfew in al-Shaddadi, located in the country's northeast, following the escape of ISIL fighters from a local prison.
The curfew was imposed a day after the Syrian government reported that the SDF agreed to retreat from specific regions of Syria as part of a ceasefire agreement . This agreement marks a significant shift favoring President Ahmed al-Sharaa following the removal of former President Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
On Sunday, the SDF consented to withdraw from Raqqa and Deir Az Zor, which encompass Syria's primary oil fields and are two Arab-majority provinces under their control for several years.
Despite these developments, the province of Hasakah, where al-Shaddadi is situated, remains largely under SDF control. It houses central prisons detaining individuals accused of ISIL affiliations and a camp containing thousands of ISIL-linked prisoners.
ISIL was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, yet the group's sleeper cells continue to conduct lethal attacks in both nations.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
