Syrian prison battle leaves hundreds dead and many IS free
A massive attack on detention facilities in northeastern Syria under US-backed, Kurdish-led forces has ended after almost a week of fighting, though the fate of some hostages remains unclear.
BAGHDAD — The “F-16s, tanks and guns” that had resounded for almost a week near the Sinaa prison in Hasakah fell silent after 4 p.m. on Wednesday, a resident of the Gweiran neighborhood told Al-Monitor from the city.
“Thanks to God, it is over,” he said from the Arab district of the mixed Kurdish and Arab city, one of Syria’s 10 largest, in the northeastern part of the country not far from the Iraqi border.
Following the most significant attack by the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria since their territorial defeat in the region was announced in early 2019, the Kurdish-led, international coalition-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced that all of those left inside the now heavily damaged prison had surrendered.
The massive attack began Thursday evening.
