Syria forces push deeper into SDF territory, take over ISIS prison: What to know
The advances come as the government and Kurdish forces accuse each other of violating a ceasefire that entered into force this week in northeast Syria.
Syrian security forces on Friday took control of a prison holding Islamic State detainees in northeast Syria, pressing deeper into territory formerly held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces despite a fragile ceasefire.
What happened: The Syrian Interior Ministry said in a statement that its prisons directorate took over management of al-Aqtan prison in the city of Raqqa, which was under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
جولة ميدانية لنائب وزير الداخلية، اللواء عبد القادر طحّان، على سجن الأقطان في محافظة الرقة، برفقة كل من محمد العدهان، قائد الأمن الداخلي في المحافظة، ومدير الإدارة العامة للسجون والإصلاحيات، وذلك عقب تسلّم السجن من قوات قسد. pic.twitter.com/iImh4AOW11
— وزارة الداخلية السورية (@syrianmoi) January 23, 2026
The ministry said specialized counterterrorism teams had been deployed to secure the facility and maintain internal order.
In a later statement on Friday, the Interior Ministry said its forces had discovered a large number of improvised explosive devices inside al-Aqtan, accusing armed groups affiliated with the SDF of planting them before withdrawing and handing over the prison.
