Syrian Army Clashes with Kurdish-Led SDF in Jail Break Incident

Syrian Army Regains Control Over City of al-Shaddadi

The Syrian army has announced that it is now in complete control of the city of al-Shaddadi in northeast Syria, according to state news agency SANA. The announcement comes after clashes with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and an escape of ISIL fighters from the city’s prison.

According to SANA, the Syrian army has imposed a curfew on the city as its troops search for the escaped fighters. The Syrian Operations Authority also stated that control of the al-Aqtan prison and security facilities in the area will be assumed by the Ministry of Interior following the operation.

The SDF has denied claims made by the military that it deliberately released ISIL members, stating instead that it lost control of the prison after an attack by the army. The Kurdish-led force also reported nine deaths and 20 wounded among its members during fighting around al-Aqtan.

The United States-led coalition against ISIL was not involved in the incident, according to the SDF statement. A ceasefire deal between the Syrian government and the SDF was announced on Sunday, with the latter agreeing to withdraw from parts of Syria, including Raqqa and Deir Az Zor. The SDF chief commander, Mazloum Abdi, is set to meet with officials in Damascus to discuss the agreement.

The city of al-Shaddadi remains under the control of the SDF, with its central prisons holding detainees accused of being linked to ISIL. A camp in the province holds thousands of ISIL-linked prisoners.

Source: Al Jazeera