ISIS weaker following 'brazen' Syria prison attack: Coalition

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – ISIS has made itself weaker following its “brazen attack” on a prison in northeastern Syria's Hasakah, the US-led coalition said in a press release on Sunday.

"The groups responsible for this brazen attack are now ultimately weaker," said Maj Gen John W. Brennan, Jr., commander of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), the official name for the coalition. 

"In their desperate attempt to display relevance, Daesh delivered a death sentence for many of their own who participated in this attack," he added, using the Arabic acronym for ISIS. 

“In their desperate attempt to display relevance, Daesh delivered a death sentence for many of their own who participated in this attack,” said Maj Gen John W. Brennan, Jr., commander, CJTF-OIR. pic.twitter.com/4nA5bcIilJ

— Inherent Resolve (@CJTFOIR) January 23, 2022

"With the assistance of Coalition ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) and strike capabilities, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have contained the threat," read the coalition press release. "Coalition forces conducted real-time surveillance during the event and conducted a series of strikes throughout the days-long operation, to include precision targeting of Daesh fighters who were attacking the SDF from buildings in the area."

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The coalition also declared that it retains the right to defend itself and partner forces against any threat and will continue to do everything within its power to protect its allied forces.

"Many Daesh detainees seized arms from prison guards whom they murdered and subsequently engaged SDF quick reaction forces," said Brennan. "Unlike Daesh, the Coalition has taken great measures to ensure the humane treatment of detainees, but when ISIS detainees took up arms, they become an active threat, and were subsequently engaged and killed by the SDF and Coalition airstrikes."

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The coalition press release also revealed that detainees who didn't participate in the attack will be secured and that more details will be announced when the SDF completes its operations in the area. 

"ISIS detainees attempted to destroy a new, more secure detention facility in Hasakah, in the vicinity of the existing detention facility, but failed," it read. 

The coalition announced that it is confident in its assessment that the recent ISIS escape attempt will not pose a significant threat to Iraq or the region. It said it is analyzing the situation to determine whether ISIS is planning any future attacks on other detention facilities in Iraq or Syria. 

"While Daesh remains a threat, it is clearly no longer the force it once was," said Brennan. 

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"While it is militarily defeated, Daesh remains an existential threat to the region," he added.

"At the invitation of the Republic of Iraq, we will continue to advise, assist, and enable our partner forces to ensure Daesh is unable to regenerate within Iraq or Syria." 

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