The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by Kurdish militias, declared the fighting in Al-Hassaka over on Wednesday after almost a week after the last of the IS fighters surrendered. According to observers, 181 people were killed in the fighting, including 124 jihadists, 50 supporters of the Kurdish militia and seven civilians.
Even children in prison
This was announced by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Most recently, the jihadists had entrenched themselves in the northern part of the prison. The raid on the prison, which began on Thursday evening, was one of the heaviest IS attacks in Syria in years. The aim was to free imprisoned supporters. It was unclear exactly how many detainees escaped. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates that around 200 detainees are still at large. According to Kurdish media, around 5,000 IS supporters were most recently in the prison there. The fight was also complicated by hundreds of children in prison who were threatened by the fighting.
Many thousands of refugees
After the fighting broke out, up to 45,000 people fled their homes to other parts of the city, according to the UN Emergency Relief Office (OCHA). The UN has expressed concern for the safety of civilians in the area. US troops supported the fight against the extremists with airstrikes. Helicopters circled over neighborhoods near the prison where IS fighters were holed up.
In the summer of 2014, IS took over large areas in northern and western Iraq and proclaimed a so-called caliphate there. Large parts of neighboring Syria also belonged to the dominion. The attack in Al-Hassaka was a reminder that the fight against the terrorist militia is not yet won.
Source: Nachrichten
