Amid ISIS refusal to surrender | Coalition aircraft renew attacks on ISIS hideouts in Ghuwayran prison
Death toll of deadliest ISIS attack in three years jumps to nearly 155
Al-Hasakah province: SOHR sources have reported that International Coalition aircraft renewed their strikes in the early hours of Monday morning, targeting positions where ISIS members holed up in Ghuwayran prison in Al-Hasakah city. Meanwhile, sporadic clashes inside the prison between Asayish Forces, SDF and Counter-Terrorism Forces on one hand, and ISIS members on the other, as ISIS members have refused to surrender and chose to fight to death.
On the other hand, SDF military forces continue their combing operations, searching for ISIS members and prisoners hiding in neighbourhoods around Al-Sina’a prison.
SOHR activists have confirmed that the total death toll since the start of Ghuwayran prison break on Thursday evening has reached 154: 102 ISIS fighters, seven civilians and 45 members of Asayish Forces, prison guards and counter-terrorism forces.
Observatory asserts that the death toll is even higher, and the real number of fatalists is not exactly identified, as the fate of dozens members on both sides is still unknown. In addition, there are many people who have sustained serious injuries.
Reliable sources have told SOHR that SDF military forces are expected to storm the prison in the upcoming hours, after draining ISIS members’ ammunitions.
According to SOHR sources, all military forces in SDF-held areas in Al-Hasakah, Al-Raqqah, Aleppo and Deir Ezzor are putting on high alert, amid intelligence service’s reports of possible attacks by ISIS in these areas.
Yesterday, SOHR activists confirmed that there were 500 to 600 ISIS members keeping over 50 employees and guards hostages insides the prison. Moreover, there were children of the “Caliphate Cubs” inside the prison.
On the other hand, ISIS members threatened, via loudspeakers, to execute all hostages in the prison, amid subsiding clashes. Furthermore, ISIS media circulated video footages showing the hostages, while ISIS tended to stir up strife between the Kurds and Arabs.