In a concerning development, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have reported fierce clashes with Syrian government forces near the al-Aqtan prison on the outskirts of Raqqa. This comes just a day after the Syrian president announced a ceasefire agreement with the SDF, raising serious questions about the stability of the region.
The SDF has warned that the escalating situation poses a grave threat, with the potential to “open the door to chaos and terrorism.” According to the SDF, the clashes are occurring in the vicinity of the al-Aqtan prison, which holds a significant number of Islamic State (IS) detainees. The group has stated that “the level of threat is escalating significantly, amid attempts by these factions to reach the prison and seize control of it.”
The Syrian army, in a statement to the Sana state news agency, has acknowledged the attacks, reporting that three Syrian servicemen were killed and others were wounded. The army has blamed “some terrorist groups” for attempting to disrupt the implementation of the ceasefire deal.
The sudden shift in the balance of power in Syria’s north raises concerns about the SDF’s ability to maintain control over the prisons and camps housing tens of thousands of male and female supporters of IS. Two prisons in Raqqa city, Taameer and a juvenile detention centre, are reported to have been emptied by local authorities after the Syrian government’s takeover of the area.
Many of the IS detainees, originally from 70 countries including the UK, are being held in Kurdish-majority areas further to the northeast. The bulk of female detainees and their families are being held in the al-Hawl and Roj camps, while around 4,500 men are housed at the Panorama or Gweiran prison.
According to the terms of the deal, the administration responsible for the IS prisoners and camps, as well as the forces securing them, is to be integrated with the Syrian government, which will assume “full legal and security responsibility” for these facilities. This has raised concerns among Kurds, who fear the government, led by Islamist former rebels once linked to al-Qaida, could loosen controls on IS networks.
The current situation is a stark reality check for Britain’s refusal to repatriate its citizens held in Syria. Other countries, such as the US, have gradually brought back many of their nationals who were otherwise held in indefinite detention. Reprieve, a UK-based human rights campaign group, has called for an “urgent rethink,” stating that “the only safe thing to do is bring British nationals home and prosecute the adults where there is a case to answer.”
As the power dynamics in Syria continue to shift, the security and stability of the region remain fragile, with the potential for a resurgence of chaos and terrorism looming large.