Prison riot contained after failed escape attempt at Al-Kallasa Prison in Hasakah, North and East Syria

HASAKAH, North and East Syria — Gunfire echoed through Al-Kallasa neighborhood in Hasakah, North and East Syria, on Friday evening after inmates attempted to spark chaos and break out of the local civilian prison. 

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), prisoners tried to exploit internal vulnerabilities to create disorder within the facility. Guards, supported by the Internal Security Forces (ISF) of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Region of North and East Syria (DAARNES), responded swiftly, surrounding the dormitories and preventing any escapes. 

The disturbance escalated into a brief, hour-long riot before being brought under control. Authorities later transferred those involved to solitary confinement under strict security measures. 

In an official statement, the DAARNES Interior Authority stressed that the incident was not connected to Islamic State (ISIS) cells, dismissing rumors of a larger attack. The statement described it instead as a “limited attempt that was fully contained.” 

Al-Kallasa Prison houses civilian criminal detainees, while ISIS prisoners are held in separate high-security facilities, most notably Ghweran Prison in Hasakah and Dayrik (Malikiyah) Prison. Both facilities, like Al-Kallasa, struggle with chronic overcrowding and recurring tensions.