AANES warns of chaos in prisons holding ISIS militants in NE Syria
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – The Office of Justice and Reform Affairs affiliated with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) warned on Thursday of the repercussions of Turkish attacks that allow chaos within prisons holding militants of the Islamic State (ISIS).
“This Turkish escalation creates negative effects in all areas, including the security field, undermines the rehabilitation process, and threatens the security measures followed for protecting prisons and rehabilitation centers,” the Bureau stated in a statement.
On Jan. 16, the al-Sinaa prison, which holds ISIS detainees, in the city of Hasakah in northeast Syria, was subjected to a missile attack.
Al-Sinaa prison houses about 3,500 ISIS detainees, alongside more than 700 minors — the so-called “Cubs of the Caliphate.” It is not the only prison holding ISIS detainees.
In the first half of January, Turkey bombed a total of 89 sites, including civilian and service facilities and infrastructure, across northeastern Syria with 122 airstrikes, according to the Monitoring and Documentation Department of North Press.
“The Turkish aggression on our regions allows a state of chaos within prisons and rehabilitation centers,” the statement added.
There is a readiness among prisoners to exploit the chaos created by the Turkish aggression, according to the statement.
Earlier, an official in the AANES warned of disobedience cases within prisons, holding the US-led Global Coalition responsible for the escape of prisoners amid its repeated warnings.
The Office of Justice and Reform Affairs called on the international community and states involved in countering ISIS to take a firm stance towards the Turkish attacks.
The statement emphasized the necessity of concerted efforts to prevent ISIS from exploiting any conditions amid ongoing efforts by ISIS and its sleeper cells to reorganize itself and gather its weakened militants.
The statement considered that the Turkish attacks continue to create favorable conditions to support ISIS and its extremist agenda.