Why Did Kobani Prisoners Choose Fire Over Transfer to Aleppo?

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Nine prisoners set themselves on fire early Friday inside the Kobani Internal Security detention facility in protest against an order to transfer them to a prison in Aleppo, in an episode that has convulsed cities across Western Kurdistan (Northern Syria) and compounded outrage over the killing of an SDF fighter days earlier.

According to Kurdistan24 correspondent Akram Saleh, reporting from Qamishlo, put the toll at eight dead and 17 injured, with several survivors suffering second- and third-degree burns or requiring oxygen support for smoke inhalation, at the German Hospital in Kobani.

According to Kurdistan24's correspondent, Majd al-Din Abu Omar, a security official in Kobani, had directed racist remarks at the prisoners in what was characterized as an attempt to provoke unrest and justify a continued deployment of general security forces in the city under the pretext of containing prison disorder.

That attempt reportedly failed. An order was then issued to transfer the prisoners to Aleppo, a move that Asayish members (integrated in the Syrian army) and the prisoners themselves refused, fearing torture and mistreatment upon arrival. When the official and his forces moved to carry out the transfer regardless, the prisoners set fire to blankets, sponges, and furniture inside their cells rather than comply.

Saleh reported that the unrest had built over the previous day, beginning with clashes in Kobani's streets in the early morning hours. Protesters attacked the city's General Security headquarters and the forces stationed there, prompting security personnel to use stun grenades, tear gas, and live ammunition fired into the air. Twenty-six to 27 young men were arrested during the unrest and transferred to Kobani's central prison, setting the stage for the fire that followed once a further transfer to Aleppo was ordered.

Eyewitnesses told Kurdistan24 that in an effort to de-escalate the situation, internal security authorities subsequently decided to release all detainees held at the facility.

Saleh said that by the time of his report, the situation in Kobani had grown relatively calmer compared with the intensity of the previous day, with the General Security Directorates of Kobani and Aleppo having issued statements and held talks to help restore order.

Killing of SDF Fighter Fuels Wider Unrest Across Western Kurdistan

The unrest in Kobani unfolded against the backdrop of widespread anger over the killing of Sami Sheikhmous Hasso, an SDF fighter known by the nom de guerre Sipan, whose body was discovered in Hasakah province on Friday. Kurdistan24's sources said that Hasso had fought against ISIS for 10 years and was serving with the Hasakah Brigade, a roughly 1,300-strong force integrated into the Syrian Ministry of Defense under a recent integration agreement.

According to the source, Hasso received a phone call while on duty, was lured into an ambush, and was abducted toward Deir ez-Zor, where he was tortured and killed in a manner that the source said was reminiscent of ISIS-style executions.

Hasakah's Internal Security Forces said the discovery of Hasso's body followed an investigation into his abduction, in which intelligence information and video footage led forensic teams and specialized personnel from the Sere Kaniye Security Directorate to deploy an expanded search. Following field inspections, Hasso's body was found near the village of Hilu. Preliminary examination indicated he had been shot several times at close range and died at the scene.

Security authorities said evidence gathered during the investigation had identified a main suspect by the initials M.A., and that a search operation was continuing to locate and arrest him for referral to the courts following the completion of required legal procedures. Authorities did not publicly disclose a motive.

Hasakah Governor Noureddin Ahmed strongly condemned the killing in a statement issued Sept. 11, describing it as a grave violation of human, moral and legal principles. "With profound sorrow, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the heinous crime that claimed the life of Sami Sheikhmous Hasso," Ahmed said, calling it "an assault on public security and the sanctity of citizens' lives." The Hasakah governorate extended its condolences to Hasso's family, and Ahmed said protecting residents' lives and security was "the responsibility of the state, and no negligence in this regard will be tolerated."

Ahmed directed security and judicial authorities to treat the case as an urgent priority, ordering the arrest of the perpetrators and anyone else found to have been involved, with those detained to be referred to the courts for prosecution under the law.

Syrian Deputy Defense Minister Sipan Hamo also condemned the killing, describing it as a "brutal crime" and noting that Hasso had contributed for years to the security of Hasakah and its residents. "With a heart full of grief and sorrow, I extend my condolences and deepest sympathy to the family of martyr Sipan (Sami Sheikhmous Hasso), who was martyred as a result of a brutal crime," Hamo said. He urged all sides to exercise restraint and warned against media rhetoric that could deepen unrest, adding that several suspects had already been arrested in connection with the case.

Kurdistan24 correspondent Saleh, reported that demonstrations following Hasso's killing and the Kobani prison fire spread across cities in Western Kurdistan, including Hasakah, Qamishlo, Girke Lege, Amuda, Derbassiyeh and Kobani itself. Protests in Qamishlo and Hasakah, held at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively, remained peaceful, while Kobani saw the most intense unrest.

Saleh said statements had since been issued by General Security officials, Kobani administration leaders and government officials calling for calm and warning against any ethnic discord between Kurdish and Arab communities, with negotiations actively underway between the parties involved to resolve the crisis.