The extremists attacked a prison in the Kurdish-controlled town of Al-Hassaqa in the north-east of the civil war-torn country, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday. Heavy fighting went on for hours. Eleven soldiers were also killed in an IS attack in neighboring Iraq.
For years, IS had large areas of Syria and Iraq under its control. He lost his last stronghold, Baghouz in eastern Syria, almost three years ago. However, extremist cells are still active. Observers warn of a resurgence of the terrorist militia.
In the attack on the prison on Thursday evening, IS wanted to free imprisoned supporters, the observatory said. 16 IS fighters and five civilians were among the victims. Dozens of extremists fled. It was the most violent IS attack in almost three years.
The Observatory for Human Rights is based in Great Britain and its information is difficult to verify.
The Kurdish-controlled Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), on the other hand, reported that most of the fugitives had been caught. The situation in the prison is under control, said an SDF spokesman.
In Iraq, IS extremists attacked a military base in the province of Diyala about 60 kilometers northeast of the capital Baghdad on Friday morning, according to security sources. The jihadists then fled. At least eleven people died. In a statement shared on social media, IS claimed responsibility for the crime.
In the summer of 2014, the terrorist militia took over large areas in northern and western Iraq and proclaimed a so-called caliphate there. The extremists also ruled large parts of neighboring Syria. With military support from the United States and other countries, the Iraqi security forces were able to push back the terrorist militia. In spring 2019, troops led by Kurds captured the last IS stronghold in Syria. However, IS cells are still active.
According to the Kurdish news agency Hawar, around 5,000 IS supporters are in the prison in Al-Hassaqa. The Kurds are also holding thousands of extremists in other camps, including hundreds of foreigners.
Source: Nachrichten
