RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – For a week, Shadi has been wondering about what is taking place around the Central Prison of Raqqa. Last week, he was surprised by the high number of members of the Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish) encircling the prison, which is close to his house.
He tries to find out how serious is the situation, as any emergency could affect the neighborhoods around the prison in particular and Raqqa in general.
What rises fears for Shadi al-Humada, 36, from the Rumaila neighborhood of the city of Raqqa, is an attack by the Islamic State Organization (ISIS) or a prison break by detainees.
Security alert
On Sunday, Asayish fighters were deployed to neighborhoods around the prison. A source in the Asayish told North Press that security members are carrying out a campaign on the outskirts of the prison.
At the time, the source denied any prison break or revolt by inmates in the prison. However, all roads leading to the prison remain closed, raising al-Humada’s concerns of re-living ISIS’ brutality which he experienced between 2014-2017 when the terrorist group controlled Raqqa. This applies to all Raqqa people.
The man says the presence of the prison in the city endangers locals in the areas close to the detention center in particular and to the city in general.
Recently, operations by the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were on the rise against the group’s sleeper cells. These operations come following a spike in the extremist organization’s activity.
People in the city of Raqqa express fears over a potential prison break after the security alert and the “tightened” security measures undertaken in the area close to the prison which houses nearly 2.000 ISIS local militants, according to a report released by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) .
Local media outlets claimed that a prison riot by ISIS detainees is taking place in the facility. This comes in tandem with leaks suggesting that the group intends to attack the Central Prison of Raqqa.
However, Ali Hajo, the Co-chair of the Interior Board of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), said on Wednesday, that all what have been circulated regarding a planned attack on Raqqa Central Prison, is untrue.
“Forces are rehabilitating and searching the prison. All necessary measures and precautionary procedures have been taken to secure the outskirt of the prison,” according to the AANES’ webpage.
However, al-Humada and other residents of neighborhoods adjacent to the prison are perturbed by the security measures and fear a scenario similar to the al-Sinaa Prison in the city of Hasakah.
In January, ISIS militants attacked the al-Sinaa Prison in the city of Hasakah, causing mass damages in the clashes which erupted following the storming of the prison.
In June, the Asayish deployed on the outskirts of the Central Prison of Raqqa following circulations of a revolt in the prison.
Away from Civilians
For the recurrence of incidents, al-Hamada calls on concerned authorities to transfer ISIS detainees to another prison far from the city, which will have special fortifications and be away from civilians.
Kamal al-Yassin, 28, also stressed the need to move the prison from residential neighborhoods outside the city. “They can move it to the old prison, which is about 10 km away from the city center.”
The young man believes that this step “removes the danger from civilians, and enables the security forces to protect the prison as required from any attempts to infiltrate and make it difficult to be attacked.”
Now, al-Yassin is facing troubles and difficulties in reaching his home in Rumaila neighborhood near the prison, in light of these strict security measures, such as closing streets and conducting patrols.
In Raqqa, there are two prisons, one designated for civilian detainees, and the other is the Central Prison for ISIS militants. The latter was previously a Syrian government building.
Due to the residents’ fears and their demands to transfer the prison, North Press contacted the responsible authorities to inquire about the procedures in this regard, but it did not receive any response.
Meanwhile, Ahmad al-Assa’d, 60, from Raqqa, calls on the international forces to support Asayish to confront ISIS, because ISIS poses a threat to the stability of the region.
“Any terrorist attack on the region is an attack on the civilians living in it. We are not war front lines, we are only peaceful civilians, we have no enmity with anyone, we only want to live in safety and peace,” he said.
He added, “This city is for living and stability, not for war. We are still healing our old wounds and pains caused by ISIS. We do not want more wounds.”