Ghuwayran prison attack | Nearly 80 people killed so far and fate of tens of ISIS prisoners and the prison’s employees remains unknown
Coalition aircraft renew strikes on positions nearby the prison, amid ongoing clashes between military forces and ISIS members
Al-Hasakah province: SOHR activists have reported that an “International Coalition” warplane has raided a building in Al-Sina’a prison in Ghuwayran neighbourhood in Al-Hasakah, however no casualties have been reported yet.
On the same context, ongoing clashes are taking place inside and around the prison, amid renewed attempts by SDF to move inside the prison.
Meanwhile, International Coalition aircraft renewed their strikes on that region this morning, while some buildings of Ghuwayran prison are still under the control of ISIS. On the other hand, the military forces managed to impose a tight siege on the prison, isolating it completely from its surroundings with the aim to impose full control on the prison. Moreover, SDF affiliated formations continue their combing operations in Ghuwayran and Al-Zuhour neighbourhoods and other areas around the prison, searching for ISIS members and escapees.
In the meantime, reliable sources have informed SOHR that the number of arrested ISIS prisoners, who had escaped from Ghuwayran prison during the recent attack, has reached 130. However, dozens of ISIS prisoners, whose specific number remains unknown, are still free after being able to escape from the prison. SOHR sources have confirmed that hundreds of ISIS prisoners managed to escape on Thursday evening and Friday dawn, before some were arrested while the fate of the others remained unknown.
In the same context, Observatory sources have documented a new spike of the number of people who have been killed since the beginning of the deadliest attack by ISIS on the prison Ghuwayran on Thursday evening, as the death of 78 people: 45 ISIS members, five civilians and 28 members of Asayish Forces, counter-terrorism forces and guards of the prison, has been confirmed.
However, SOHR sources have confirmed that the real number of fatalities is much higher, as the fate of tens of people among all parties remains unknown. In addition, a large number of combatants, ISIS members and civilians have sustained serious injuries. Furthermore, the fate of tens of the prison’s employees and guards also remains unknown, as it is not known yet if they have been all killed or some of them are still held hostages by ISIS members and prisoners.
It is worth noting that Ghuwayran prison hosts nearly 3,500 ISIS commanders and members, and it is the only prison in the world hosting such large number of ISIS prisoners.
It is also worth noting that this was the most violent and largest attack on populated areas since elimination of ISIS as a controlling power in March 2019.