Turkish planes target Syria's al-Hol camp: SDF

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Turkish warplanes on Wednesday targeted the internal security forces that are responsible for protecting Al-Hol camp, an official of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said.

"As a result; some ISIS families could flee from the camp, out forces are chasing them at the moment," Farhad Shami, the SDF media head tweeted. 

The camp is currently housing thousands of family members of ISIS, whose self-proclaimed caliphate was defeated in 2019 in Syria by the SDF and US-led coalition.

"This is show Turkey intention to help ISIS families and their members to escape," Shami alleged. "We are concerned that Turkey will target prisons in the area."

Earlier on Wednesday, Turkish artillery targeted the vicinity of the Jerkin prison in Qamishlo, which holds hundreds of ISIS detainees.

On Nov. 17, US Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, CENTCOM commander, visited the al-Hol displaced persons camp in northeast Syria and warned about the security situation in the camp.

“This visit, my third to al Hol since taking command on April 1st, reaffirmed for me the gravity of the situation at the camp," he said.

"The more than 25,000 children at the camp are in danger – the recent beheading of two Egyptian girls, ages twelve and thirteen, inside the camp is a horrific reminder of that."

Also Maj. Gen. Matt McFarlane, the coalition commander in Iraq and Syria, visited al-Hol camp with NBC journalists last week.

The US-led coalition on Nov. 22 also "urges for de-escalation in Syria."

"These strikes jeopardize the safety of civilians, fracture the hard-fought stability within the region and disrupt our common goal of defeating ISIS."