Latest development | Tens of ISIS prisoners and members hand themselves over to military forces, amid inspection in the prison cells and dormitories

SOHR sources have confirmed that dozens of ISIS prisoners and members, inside and outside Ghuwayran prison have handed themselves over to military forces, some of whom were ISIS members who were holed up in the building of the faculty of Economics of Euphrates University, buildings surrounding Ghuwayran prison and the technical observers’ institute, while others were ISIS prisoners who were hiding inside Ghuwayran dormitories and found during combing operations by military forces after they had taken control of the prison.

Nearly ten buses arrived at the prison to transport those who were handed themselves over.

While ISIS prisoners who refuse to surrender are still holed up in a section of the prison building, as  preparations are underway to break into this section, if ISIS prisoners insist not to surrender.

Military forces also continue their combing campaigns in search of ISIS cells and members in various neighbourhoods of Al-Hasakah city.

According to Syrian Observatory sources, ISIS members have been arrested in locations far from the prison, and this is an alarming sign indicating that ISIS members and prisoners are expected to be hidden in different places in Al-Hasakah.

SOHR sources have just reported that military forces of Asayish, SDF, Anti-Terrorism Forces have brought armoured vehicles into “Ghuwayran” prison’s yard near the southern entrance of Al-Hasakah city, in order to begin incursion at any moment.

This development coincided with sporadic clashes, amid rejection by the majority of besieged ISIS members to surrender, while very few members handed themselves to the military forces.

Meanwhile, Coalition forces brought a reinforcement of armoured vehicles into the vicinity of the prison, amid ongoing flights by Coalition aircraft over the region.

Earlier this morning, SOHR sources 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 refused to surrender and chose to fight to death.

On the other hand, SDF military forces continued their combing operations, searching for ISIS members and prisoners hiding in neighbourhoods around Al-Sina’a prison.

SOHR activists 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 of members on both sides is still unknown. In addition, there are many people who have sustained serious injuries.

Reliable sources told SOHR that SDF military forces were 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 were put 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 inside 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.