“Since the early hours of this morning, Al-Shaddadi Prison, which holds thousands of detainees from the terrorist organization ISIS [Islamic State], has been subjected to repeated attacks carried out by factions affiliated with Damascus,” the Media Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces said on January 19. Sheikhmous Ahmed, an official responsible for internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees in eastern Syria, told Rudaw that “due to attacks by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham [HTS] militants [who are a [sic] now major part of the Syrian interim government], there is a serious threat to the camps and prisons holding ISIS militants, because those attackers are just like ISIS.” Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa led HTS prior to becoming the transitional president of Syria last year. Levant24 published footage of “Syrian army units” reaching “the outskirts of the Al-Aqtaan prison, where forces allied with the SDF remain entrenched and refuse to relinquish control.” Another Levant24 video shows government forces near the town of Al Hol, meaning they were nearing the large camp on its outskirts.
Author: Seth Frantzman
Published at: 2026-01-19 21:23:23
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