SDF retakes full control of al-Hasakah prison after forcing surrender of ISIS suspects
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Wednesday they have retaken full control of the al-Sina'a prison in Hasakah from ISIS suspects leading a riot inside the makeshift detention facility.
In a tweet, SDF official Farhad Shami said that the Peoples' Hammer Operation had culminated with their complete control over the al-Sina'a prison after forcing the surrender of all ISIS terrorists in the facility.
On Jan. 20, about 200 ISIS terrorists attacked al-Sina'a in coordination with fellow terrorists imprisoned inside. In response, the SDF launched a large operation with about 10,000 fighters and Internal Security Forces, known as Asayish in Kurdish.
Earlier on Wednesday, the SDF announced 1,000 ISIS prisoners had laid down their arms inside al-Sina'a over the past seven days of fighting. Before the outbreak of violence, the prison held 3,500 suspected ISIS members, including hundreds of foreigners.
The facility also housed 700 children of ISIS families as young as 12 years old, whom the SDF said ISIS fighters were using as human shields. So far, the US-backed forces are yet to declare the situation of the minors.
The SDF earlier today also said it is continuing "large-scale and precise sweep operations" in many areas of Deir al-Zor, Raqqa, al-Hasakah to track down and recapture ISIS runaways.
Over the past few days, there have been several ISIS attacks and sleeper cell activities in rural parts of al-Hasakah and Deir al-Zor provinces.
Simultaneously, Turkish-backed forces have continued to shell SDF fighters in al-Bab, Manbij, and Ain Issa since the beginning of the ISIS attack in al-Hasakah last Thursday, effectively helping ISIS by straining SDF's focus as they worked to contain the al-Hasakah situation.
The SDF also announced on Wednesday that it had liberated 23 prisoners from ISIS in al-Sina'a since Thursday.