25/01/2022

U.S. continues support for SDF in securing Sina’a prison as Syrian regime and Turkish state seek to take advantage of ISIS attack in North and East Syria

HASAKAH, Syria — As the fight against Islamic State (ISIS) cells continues in the wake of the Thursday attack on Sina’a Prison in Hasakah, North and East Syria, U.S. officials have expressed their full support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price stated that the U.S. condemns the terrorist attack on the prison and commends the SDF for their quick response and continued commitment to fighting ISIS in the region.

Price highlighted the efforts and close cooperation between the SDF and U.S.-led International Coalition forces in their war against ISIS and called for increased support for those efforts.

The repatriation of foreign nationals being detained in North and East Syria is an important step in reducing the global threat posed by ISIS, who could escape prison and return to their home countries to commit attacks. The United States is one of the few countries to have repatriated all its citizens that went to fight for ISIS.  

Price also expressed the U.S.’s sincere condolences to the families of SDF and Internal Security Forces (ISF) personnel who were injured or martyred during the attack.

Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense John Kirby confirmed that the Coalition has supported the SDF in responding to the attack on the prison. Aerial surveillance provided by the Coalition has allowed the SDF to track and locate ISIS sleeper cells as well as detainees attempting to escape. In instances where ISIS holdouts gave fierce resistance, air strikes were conducted.

As the Tel Tamr Military Council — a member of the SDF — moved to respond to the attack, several of their vehicles were targeted by Turkish drones. Turkish drones simultaneously struck Yezidi forces in Sinjar. The Future Syria Party accused both the Syrian regime and Turkish state of supporting ISIS’s efforts to release thousands of terrorists currently detained in prisons.

“The forces behind supporting ISIS cells seek to thwart the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) of North and East Syria and its democratic experiment, which represents the peoples’ hope for liberation, coexistence and social peace,” read a statement released by the party. The Future Syria Party recognized that without the SDF and the U.S.-led Coalition, the threat of ISIS would have spread to all regions of Syria and beyond.