Syria
A Syrian government soldier stands outside SDF-controlled al-Aqtan prison on January 19, 2026. Photo: Bakr Alkasem / AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Clashes intensified on Tuesday around al-Aqtan prison in northern Syria’s Raqqa, which holds thousands of Islamic State (ISIS) detainees, as Damascus-affiliated forces shelled the facility with heavy weapons, raising fears of a major security collapse.
A Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) source speaking to Rudaw on condition of anonymity said the prison is besieged and holds around 2,000 ISIS prisoners.
“Now the passage of food and water to the prison has been blocked,” the source said. “It is now under attack, and [Syrian Democratic Forces] SDF is resisting fiercely, and they are not allowing the prison to fall into the hands of the Syrian Arab Army and armed groups,” the source added.
The SDF, in a statement later on Tuesday, said that Damascus affiliated-forces “directly” shell the prison’s buildings and facilities and that they “began cutting off the water supply to the prison.”
The statement added that “this has caused a severe water shortage, in addition to a significant lack of food and medical supplies.”
“We hold Damascus fully responsible for any humanitarian or security repercussions resulting from this action, and we call on international organizations to intervene urgently to ensure the provision of the prison's basic needs,” the SDf said.
SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami earlier on Monday said that “tanks and artillery” from Damascus-affiliated factions were shelling the prison, which houses ISIS members and leaders.
The escalation comes as Syria’s interim interior ministry said on Tuesday that it had captured more than 80 ISIS members who escaped from al-Shaddadi prison in southern Hasaka amid clashes between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus-affiliated factions.
The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) relayed a statement from the ministry early Tuesday saying that “the escape incident” in al-Shaddadi prison resulted in “the escape of approximately 120 elements of the terrorist ISIS organization,” citing an unspecified source.
The statement said that “specialized units” launched search operations in the surrounding area, leading to “the arrest of 81 fugitive elements, while intensive security efforts continue to pursue the rest and take the necessary legal measures against them in accordance with proper procedures.”
The SDF reported on Monday that it lost control of the al-Shaddadi prison following repeated attacks by Damascus-affiliated factions on its forces.
Footage circulating on social media has also purportedly shown Damascus-affiliated forces releasing detainees from prisons holding ISIS members.
Myles Caggins, a retired US Army colonel and former spokesperson for the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State (ISIS), told Rudaw on Monday that “We know that it is always the dream of ISIS to break the walls of the prisons, and the United States has chosen to accept the risks because the US is focused on its relationship with Damascus and Ankara.”
He added that despite recent US operations against the extremist group in Syria, Washington “is so quiet about the biggest problem, and that is the problem of thousands of ISIS fighters who can come back to the battlefield, and there are so many weapons available for them in Syria.”
“Some of these groups that are making [up] the Syrian government’s military, some of these groups are Jihadis, are extremists, are takfiri, and I do not know if Damascus can actually control them,” he said.
US Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican and longtime supporter of the SDF, said in a post on X on Monday that “One of America’s primary national security interests with respect to Syria has been our partnership with the SDF, who led the effort to defeat ISIS and to counter an ISIS comeback.” He added that “For years, we have been working hand in glove with the mostly Kurdish SDF to keep ISIS at bay.”
A Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) source speaking to Rudaw on condition of anonymity said the prison is besieged and holds around 2,000 ISIS prisoners.
“Now the passage of food and water to the prison has been blocked,” the source said. “It is now under attack, and [Syrian Democratic Forces] SDF is resisting fiercely, and they are not allowing the prison to fall into the hands of the Syrian Arab Army and armed groups,” the source added.
The SDF, in a statement later on Tuesday, said that Damascus affiliated-forces “directly” shell the prison’s buildings and facilities and that they “began cutting off the water supply to the prison.”
The statement added that “this has caused a severe water shortage, in addition to a significant lack of food and medical supplies.”
“We hold Damascus fully responsible for any humanitarian or security repercussions resulting from this action, and we call on international organizations to intervene urgently to ensure the provision of the prison's basic needs,” the SDf said.
SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami earlier on Monday said that “tanks and artillery” from Damascus-affiliated factions were shelling the prison, which houses ISIS members and leaders.
The escalation comes as Syria’s interim interior ministry said on Tuesday that it had captured more than 80 ISIS members who escaped from al-Shaddadi prison in southern Hasaka amid clashes between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus-affiliated factions.
The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) relayed a statement from the ministry early Tuesday saying that “the escape incident” in al-Shaddadi prison resulted in “the escape of approximately 120 elements of the terrorist ISIS organization,” citing an unspecified source.
The statement said that “specialized units” launched search operations in the surrounding area, leading to “the arrest of 81 fugitive elements, while intensive security efforts continue to pursue the rest and take the necessary legal measures against them in accordance with proper procedures.”
The SDF reported on Monday that it lost control of the al-Shaddadi prison following repeated attacks by Damascus-affiliated factions on its forces.
Footage circulating on social media has also purportedly shown Damascus-affiliated forces releasing detainees from prisons holding ISIS members.
Myles Caggins, a retired US Army colonel and former spokesperson for the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State (ISIS), told Rudaw on Monday that “We know that it is always the dream of ISIS to break the walls of the prisons, and the United States has chosen to accept the risks because the US is focused on its relationship with Damascus and Ankara.”
He added that despite recent US operations against the extremist group in Syria, Washington “is so quiet about the biggest problem, and that is the problem of thousands of ISIS fighters who can come back to the battlefield, and there are so many weapons available for them in Syria.”
“Some of these groups that are making [up] the Syrian government’s military, some of these groups are Jihadis, are extremists, are takfiri, and I do not know if Damascus can actually control them,” he said.
US Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican and longtime supporter of the SDF, said in a post on X on Monday that “One of America’s primary national security interests with respect to Syria has been our partnership with the SDF, who led the effort to defeat ISIS and to counter an ISIS comeback.” He added that “For years, we have been working hand in glove with the mostly Kurdish SDF to keep ISIS at bay.”
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