ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The United Kingdom has funded the renovation and expansion of a detention facility holding Islamic State (ISIS) suspects in northeast Syria (Rojava), the Ministry of Defence has confirmed to Rudaw English.
"As part of the Global Coalition's collective stabilisation efforts in the region, the UK has provided technical advice and funding for the refurbishment and expansion of a detention facility for Daesh [ISIS] fighters in NE Syria,” a ministry spokesperson said via email.
"The Coalition has made significant progress in the fight against Daesh, including regaining the territory they once held,” they added.
On Sunday, Coalition commander Paul Calvert said the UK has given $20 million to expanding a prison holding ISIS detainees in Hasaka.
“Our British coalition partners have invested 20 million dollars in expanding the Hasaka prison. We anticipate that project will be completed in September,” he said during a speech on the success of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and coalition in fighting ISIS.
The security of prisons holding ISIS prisoners in Rojava has been a concern in recent years, with several riots and prison escapes taking place at Hasaka’s Sanaa prison last year.
Thousands of prisoners from around 50 countries are held in the prison, most of whom were detained by Kurdish and coalition forces in the last ISIS stronghold of Baghouz in March 2019.
The wives and children of many ISIS fighters are also held by the SDF in camps, most notably al-Hol and Roj. Al-Hol has seen significant violence and unrest, including a spate of murders this year.
Rojava authorities have repeatedly called on foreign countries to repatriate their nationals, citing security concerns, but uptake has been slow, and has mostly concerned children.
In October, a Kurdish official claimed Rojava would begin to try ISIS members in local courts in the first few months of this year, but such proceedings have yet to begin.
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