Eurasia Press & News
The ongoing conflict between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) risks unleashing tens of thousands of ISIS-linked detainees, reviving a threat that the United States and the SDF spent years and much blood trying to contain.
Following intense clashes over the weekend, during which Syrian government troops entered SDF-held territories east of the Euphrates River, clashes were reported around two prisons in northeastern Syria where members of ISIS were detained. These clashes came after a ceasefire deal was announced on January 18 between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, which sought to give the Syrian government control over the Deir Ezzour and Raqqa governorates, as well as integrating the SDF into the Syrian military as individuals rather than as distinct units.
That agreement was aligned with Turkey’s position on the integration mechanism, which views the SDF’s primary component, the People’s Defense Units (YPG), as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which remains a designated U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organization and has engaged in an insurgency against Turkey for decades. The integration agreement of March 2025, which did not specify an integration mechanism, collapsed when Syrian government forces, along with affiliated tribal militias, rapidly advanced into northeastern Syria on January 16.
Damascus Continues Offensive Despite Agreement
Despite the agreement announced on January 18, brief clashes between the SDF and the Syrian government have continued. The violence followed Abdi’s January 19 visit to Damascus to discuss the integration deal. During the meeting, according to pro-government sources, Abdi requested a five-day period to consult with SDF leadership on key provisions of the agreement, particularly the terms of integration and the future status of Kurdish-majority areas in northeastern Syria, including Kobane, also known as Ayn al Arab. Sharaa rejected the request, which prompted a brief resumption of clashes around Hasakah governorate, where ISIS’s prison camps of al-Hol and al-Roj are located.
Clashes Around Prisons Holding ISIS Terrorists
Due to the rapid nature of Damascus’s military advances, clashes have erupted around several prisons holding Islamic State fighters. On January 19, the SDF claimed that al-Shaddadi prison in al-Hasakah, “which holds thousands of detainees from the terrorist organization ISIS, has been subjected to repeated attacks carried out by factions affiliated with Damascus.” At the same time, Damascus accused the SDF of releasing ISIS detainees prior to the entry of government forces into al-Shaddadi, adding the claim that they had rearrested 81 ISIS escapees during the clashes.
On January 20, the SDF said its forces had withdrawn from al-Hol camp, redeploying to other areas in northern Syria because of what it claimed was “international indifference” to the threat of ISIS. Reports later emerged that the Syrian forces had positioned themselves inside the camp. However, with a fragile ceasefire in place, the risk of clashes returning is likely, and a mass escape from these prisons remains possible. Additionally, many of the forces advancing with or on behalf of Damascus are tribal units with limited discipline, bolstering concern that some of them may facilitate the release of ISIS detainees.
U.S. Should Pressure Syrians To Halt Advance on Kurdish Areas
The United States should make clear to both sides that a return to conflict would only unravel the hard-won counterterrorism gains achieved by the SDF and Washington against the Islamic State. As Damascus moves to assert control over ISIS camps and prisons, U.S. forces on the ground should continue monitoring these facilities to prevent the escape of ISIS fighters. At the same time, Washington should press the Syrian government to halt any advance into Kurdish-majority areas and urge both parties to adhere to the January 18 agreement to prevent a renewed outbreak of hostilities.
