SDF Warn Military Escalation Could Endanger ISIS Detention Facilities
The Syrian Democratic Forces warned that ongoing military escalation by Damascus-affiliated factions could endanger prisons holding ISIS detainees, saying extremist cells are attempting to exploit the instability despite heightened SDF security measures.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Against the backdrop of mounting military escalation in Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces warned that the deteriorating security situation could have serious repercussions for prisons holding ISIS detainees, as the extremist group’s sleeper cells attempt to exploit the unrest to stage attacks.
In a statement issued Thursday, the Syrian Democratic Forces said ISIS cells are actively seeking to take advantage of the escalation carried out by Damascus-affiliated factions to target detention facilities housing the group’s members.
“In light of the security situation imposed by the attacks of Damascus-affiliated factions, and the accompanying military build-ups and continuous threats against the regions of North and East Syria, ISIS terrorist cells are attempting to exploit this escalation to launch attacks targeting prisons that hold their elements,” the statement said.
The SDF stressed that their forces remain on high alert and have implemented all necessary measures to secure the detention facilities.
“The Syrian Democratic Forces are in a state of full readiness and vigilance. All required measures have been taken to ensure the security of the prisons and prevent any security breach. These facilities are currently safe and under full control,” the statement added.
However, the SDF cautioned that the continuation of the current military escalation could undermine broader stability and pose a serious threat to prison security.
“The persistence of this situation, and the military escalation accompanying it, may lead to destabilizing the overall security environment, which constitutes a real danger to the prisons holding ISIS elements and threatens to return the region to square one, after years of sacrifices in confronting terrorism,” the statement said.
The warning comes as military escalation continues to intensify across parts of Aleppo province, particularly in its eastern countryside. The Syrian Arab Army has redeployed forces from Syria’s coastal regions toward the Deir Hafer front, triggering renewed clashes, drone strikes, and artillery fire in areas held by the Syrian Democratic Forces.
According to SDF statements, Damascus-affiliated factions carried out multiple attacks against SDF-controlled positions. The vicinity of the strategic Tishreen Dam was targeted twice using suicide drones and artillery, while rocket strikes hit the village of Umm al-Marra, south of Deir Hafer, as part of what the SDF described as an ongoing escalation.
In a subsequent update, the SDF said its forces repelled an infiltration attempt by Damascus-affiliated factions along the axis of Zubaida village in the southern countryside of Deir Hafer. The attackers were forced to retreat after the attempt failed, despite using drone cover and automatic weapons.
The SDF also reported that a Turkish Bayraktar drone struck one of its positions in the village of al-Buassi, near the city of Tabqa, resulting in several injuries among SDF fighters who were transferred for medical treatment. The SDF said the strike was the third such incident within a single week.
Later updates indicated continued artillery shelling of the town of Deir Hafer by Damascus-affiliated factions. Infrastructure, including the Deir Hafer post office building, was reportedly targeted by artillery fire and suicide drones, without casualties being recorded.
Prior to launching its operations, the Syrian Arab Army had declared several SDF-held areas in the Aleppo countryside, including Deir Hafer, as closed military zones.
As reinforcements arrive from Syria’s coast and clashes persist across eastern Aleppo, the SDF has repeatedly warned that the escalation risks further destabilizing the region, creating conditions that could be exploited by ISIS and undermining years of security efforts.
As fighting expands and frontlines harden, the SDF’s warning underscores growing concern that sustained military escalation could reopen security gaps, with consequences extending beyond the battlefield to the fight against ISIS itself.