Iraq National Security Agency director warns of potential ISIS prison breaks in Syria

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s National Security chief, Abdul Karim Abd Fadhil, warned of imminent plans by ISIS elements in Syria to attack prisons controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces in Raqqa, Al-Hasakah, and other areas. He cautioned that any mass prison break could have serious ramifications for regional and global security.

“We warn of the potential fallout from the escape of Iraqi and foreign terrorists detained in prisons as well as the Al-Sina’a prison in Al-Hasakah,” Al-Basri said in a statement to the state newspaper Al-Sabah. “A mass breakout would pose a significant threat to both regional and international security.”.

The Syrian Democratic Forces are detaining over 10,000 Islamic State fighters in northeastern Syria, including approximately 2,000 foreign nationals whose home countries have largely declined repatriation. These detainees are held in makeshift facilities, such as the Al-Sina’a prison in al-Hasakah, which are often overcrowded and inadequately secured. This situation poses significant security risks, as evidenced by the January 2022 ISIS attack on Al-Sina’a prison, resulting in a protracted battle and the escape of hundreds of prisoners.

He highlighted that “ISIS terrorist groups are actively planning attacks on these prisons to free thousands of detainees of various nationalities, currently held under SDF control.”

Al-Basri affirmed Iraq’s readiness to respond to any threats, whether external or internal. “Iraqi security forces have raised their alert levels to counter any attempts to destabilize national security,” he added.

Following the recent overthrow of President Bashar Al-Assad by rebel forces in Syria, Iraq has taken measures to secure its western border. The Iraqi government has deployed additional troops and armored vehicles to the frontier, particularly reinforcing the Al-Qaim border crossing in Anbar governorate, to prevent any spillover of violence.

He emphasized a shift in focus, noting that “the mission extends beyond addressing domestic threats to include wide-scale reconnaissance operations aimed at tracking terrorists who pose a grave danger both within Iraq and to the region and the world.”

Al-Basri said Iraq’s National Security Agency has “unlimited capabilities in intelligence gathering and tracking terrorist targets inside Iraq and beyond.”

“The agency has the ability to neutralize potential terrorists, especially those attempting to infiltrate Iraq to carry out attacks,” he said.