Syrian Democratic Forces squad survives five days trapped in Sina’a Prison before being liberated as SDF announces regaining full control

HASAKAH, Syria — A squad of nine members of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a member of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), resisted against Islamic State (ISIS) members in Sina’a Prison for five days after the prisoners took over the prison and infiltrated the surrounding neighborhoods.

The squad was one of the first to respond to Thursday’s attack on the prison and were cut-off and trapped inside. After being ambushed by ISIS prisoners who tried to take them hostage, squad leader Cudî and the rest of his squad managed to move to a higher floor. They fought off grenade and small arms attacks for five days.

They eventually managed to signal the SDF outside the prison who recognized them and launched a rescue mission, charging into the prison complex with armored vehicles. Cudî and his squad escaped to the vehicles while under small arms fire.

The squad confirmed after their escape that ISIS prisoners had tortured prison staff and security personnel taken captive to death, some of them were beheaded. The squad also confirmed that the ISIS prisoners were in contact with ISIS cells outside the prison.

On Wednesday, the SDF announced that the entirety of Sina’a Prison was again under their control.

The most recent security sweeps in the al-Zohour neighborhood resulted in the killing of five ISIS terrorists who were wearing explosive belts. In the eastern Ghweran neighborhood, where Sina’a Prison is situated, SDF raids killed 9 ISIS fighters, including suicide bombers. In a sweep to the south of Hasakah, on the outskirts of the Khabur River, three other ISIS fighters were killed.

The Internal Security Forces (ISF) of North and East Syria announced the arrest of three members of an ISIS cells in one of the neighborhoods surrounding Al-Sina’a Prison, during which they seized large quantities of weapons and ammunition which were being used to support the attack on the prison and obstruct the SDF as they sought to recapture it. The ISF called on citizens to immediately report if they observe anything suspicious or strange.

The SDF also announced that it had stripped some of its fighters of their military positions and transferred them to the competent judiciary for violating the values ​​and moral principles of their forces during the arrest of a number of ISIS members in Hasakah.