Syria- SDF Operations to Control al-Sina’a Prison Resume

Location: al-Hasaka – Syria

Language: Arabic

Voice: Natural

Duration: 00:06:10

Source: A24

Restrictions: A24 Clients

Dateline:26/01/2022

Storyline

The Syrian Democratic Forces entered the 6th day in its operations to break into al-Sina’a prison in the Ghuwayran area of Al-Hasakah city, partly seized by   ISIS fighters. SDF operations included calls to safe surrender and combing operations to the adjacent areas to arrest ISIS members who escaped from the prison. According to SDF, about 80% of the prison is now under control. About 850 members turned themselves in and a considerable number of casualties from both sides were reported during the clashes. SDF said ISIS members use 700 captive boys as human shields to prevent the advance of the Syrian Democratic Forces inside the prison.

Shot list

-SOUNDBITE (Farhad Shami, the head of SDF media)

Most terrorists are holing up in the northern dormitories of the prison. SDF operations are advancing in the northern part of the prison. About 500 terrorists had turned themselves in. This was accompanied by a combing campaign in other dormitories as more than 350 terrorists turned themselves in. Combing operations will intensify during the upcoming hours along with storming operations. We believe more terrorists will turn themselves in. However, there are no negotiations with terrorist mutineers but call for safe surrender. SDF is mainly concerned with two issues; the fact that ISIS members captured several SDF fighters that need to be released with minimal losses. Another issue for SDF is what they call ‘Cubs of the Caliphate ‘– boys who were drafted into the ranks of ISIS and used as human shields by the organization. These two issues are impeding SDF operations in controlling the prison. There were operations in Hasakah, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor to draw the attention of the Syrian Democratic Forces or to distract them in those areas. However, many sleep cells were eliminated in Al-Hasakah, Deir Ezzor, and Raqqa. The international coalition played a significant role, not particularly in this operation, but in the overall operations carried out by the Syrian Democratic Forces. In liberating the prison, the international coalition provided limited air coverage, due to the sensitive situation inside the prison, because a large number of detainees in this prison don’t belong to ISIS. Moreover, we have a joint operations room and intelligence operations with the international coalition. We hope the international coalition and relevant institutions in the international community scale up their efforts in these operations.

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