The US military has launched a mission to transfer up to 7,000 Islamic State (IS) group fighters from prisons in north-eastern Syria to Iraq, as Syrian government forces take control of areas long administered by Kurdish-led forces.
US Central Command announced it has already moved 150 IS fighters from Hassakeh province to a secure location in Iraq. The operation is framed as a preventive measure against potential breakouts that could threaten both US and regional security.
On Tuesday night, Syria's government declared a new ceasefire with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), following their withdrawal from the al-Hol camp, which holds thousands of IS fighters' relatives.
Additionally, Syria's defense ministry reported the deaths of seven soldiers in a drone attack by Kurdish forces in the Hasakah province. The tensions between the government and SDF have escalated recently, with both sides accusing each other over the escape of suspected IS fighters from an SDF-run prison in Shaddadi.
Syria's interior ministry disclosed that its special forces had intervened after around 120 IS fighters escaped, with subsequent operations leading to the arrest of 81 fugitives.
Despite considerable weakening of IS in Syria, they remain active and continue to carry out attacks primarily targeting Kurdish forces. The US-SDF alliance has evolved over time, with US Special Envoy Tom Barrack noting that the rationale for the partnership has diminished, while the focus has shifted towards securing facilities that house IS prisoners and initiating dialogue between the SDF and the Syrian government.
The situation in Syria remains fluid, with potential implications for broader regional stability and the balance of power between various factions involved in the ongoing conflict.
