In brief
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have announced their withdrawal from the Al-Hol camp, which holds around 20,000 people with alleged connections to Islamic State (IS). This decision comes amid ongoing clashes with Syrian government forces and concerns over recent prison breaks by suspected IS fighters. The SDF claims it was compelled to act due to a lack of international support, while the Syrian government condemned the move as uncoordinated. The situation in Syria remains volatile, with fears of escalating violence amidst the political turmoil.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) says it has withdrawn from a camp holding thousands of people with alleged links to the jihadist group Islamic State (IS), as clashes with the Syrian government continue despite a ceasefire agreement.
The SDF stated that their forces were compelled to withdraw from the al-Hol camp and redeploy to other cities in northern Syria due to the international indifference toward the issue of [IS].
The Syrian interior ministry condemned the move, claiming it occurred without any coordination with the government or the U.S.-led coalition against IS.
This withdrawal followed reports of suspected IS fighters escaping from the nearby Shaddadi prison during clashes between government forces and the SDF.
The interior ministry indicated that approximately 120 detainees escaped from the SDF-run Shaddadi prison, although soldiers and police managed to recapture 81 of the fugitives. The SDF reported government forces had released 1,500 detainees after they lost control of the prison.
In the meantime, al-Aqtan prison near Raqqa is reportedly under shelling and facing a loss of water supply. A recent agreement between the militia alliance and the government grants the latter control over the Kurdish-run autonomous region, including its prisons and camps, in an effort to end nearly two weeks of fighting.
The accord requires the SDF's tens of thousands of fighters to withdraw from Raqqa and Deir al-Zour provinces to neighboring Hassakeh, subsequently integrating into the ministries of defense and interior.
This agreement represents a significant setback for the SDF, which had long been reluctant to relinquish the autonomy it gained while aiding the U.S.-led coalition in defeating IS during Syria's long civil war.
Since leading a rebel offensive that ousted Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, President Ahmed al-Sharaa has pledged to reunify Syria. However, the nation continues to grapple with deep divisions and recurring sectarian violence.
