Syria’s Al-Akhtan Prison in Crisis

A top official at the al-Akhtan prison in Raqqa has urgently called on European and American officials to take control of the facility. The concern is that ongoing clashes between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) may open up opportunities for Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists to escape.

There’s been a push from Syrian authorities for Western nations to take custody of foreign-born ISIS fighters who have been held in Syrian prisons for an extended period.

Chiya Kobane, the head of security at Al-Akhtan, released a video message emphasizing that the SDF can no longer manage the facility. He stated that the global community needs to step in to secure the ISIS prisoners. Kobane mentioned, “We have been protecting Al-Akhtan Prison, but we have reached our limits.” He pointed out that they’ve lost access to water and electricity, run out of fuel, and are also low on food supplies.

He urged “international parties” to take charge of the prison, allowing them to reach a secure zone with international guarantees. Kobane expressed that the SDF has held out due to a sense of “humanitarian obligation” to maintain security over the prison.

The SDF, an essential ally of both the U.S. and Europe in the fight against the Islamic State, has been retreating from its prison camps following intense attacks from Syrian government forces. A jailbreak involving hundreds of ISIS members occurred earlier this week at the al-Shadadi camp.

The Damascus government has accused the SDF of creating a security crisis and letting certain prisoners go to exert pressure, while the SDF has countered that jihadists allied with the Syrian army are intentionally releasing ISIS detainees.

On a related note, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has initiated the transfer of thousands of ISIS prisoners from northeastern Syria to Iraq, a move seen as a means to mitigate some security concerns arising from the clashes. Reports indicate that the first batch of 150 prisoners has already reached a safe location in Iraq, with approximately 7,000 others awaiting transfer.

The Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council announced that it intends to begin legal proceedings against the returned detainees while ensuring that the rights of victims are upheld and the rule of law is maintained in Iraq.

Arab security sources conveyed uncertainty regarding the SDF and Syrian Army’s ability to secure ISIS prisoners. They expressed concern about the presence of ISIS sympathizers within government forces, suggesting that the SDF might have released some prisoners to instigate chaos amid the conflict.

One Arab official highlighted that President Ahmed al-Sharaa seemed capable of managing ISIS prisoners, but noted that the forces deployed for rapid attacks included unreliable jihadist elements. The official reaffirmed that regardless of the leadership in place, the U.S. is bound to transfer some ISIS detainees out of Syria.

Miles Caggins, a previous spokesperson for the coalition against ISIS, acknowledged concerns about the existence of extremist elements within the Syrian Arab Army. Meanwhile, Iraqi officials expressed discontent with the sudden influx of ISIS prisoners but recognized the need to handle the dangerous individuals meticulously.

As one Iraqi security official put it, they have “no choice but to bring them under our direct supervision rather than leaving them in a fluid situation that could threaten the security of our country.”