The "Syrian Democratic Forces" (SDF) led by the Kurdish YPG have played a crucial role in the fight against the "Islamic State". In March, they announced the victory over the "caliphate". To date, they have captured tens of thousands of supporters of the terrorist militia in camps. But the Turkish offensive in northern Syria is making it increasingly difficult for the Kurdish militias to keep the prisoners under control. Now, for the first time since the beginning of the military operation, several detainees have managed to escape.
More than a hundred members of IS fighters reportedly escaped from a camp in northern Syria. The women and children had fled after air raids by the Turkish army from the institution in Ain Issa, the Kurdish authorities said. The same reports the Syrian observatory for human rights.
Turkey started its long-threatened military offensive against the Kurdish militia YPG in northern Syria on Wednesday. The aim of the offensive is the Kurdish militia YPG, which controls a large area on the Syrian side of the border. Turkey sees in it an offshoot of the banned Kurdish workers' party PKK in Turkey and thus a terrorist organization. It wants to set up a so-called security zone along the border and to settle there Syrian refugees who currently live in Turkey.
The invasion of Turkish troops in northern Syria is internationally criticized. Several states are calling for an end to the offensive. The US threatened Ankara with economic sanctions. On Saturday, several European countries - including Germany - restricted their arms exports to Turkey.
SDF could not guarantee further detention
Great concern also raises the question of what happens to the IS supporters in the Kurdish prison camps. Around 11,000 IS fighters are in custody - including, according to estimates, about 100 Germans. There are also about 73,000 members of IS fighters, women and children, about 63,000 Syrians and Iraqis and 11,000 foreigners.
The Berlin-based representative of the Kurdish areas, Ibrahim Murad, told the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung": "We can not guarantee the jihadists' continued detention", as all soldiers at the border would be needed.
Former US Secretary of Defense and General James Mattis warned in a NBC interview that IS is resurgent. The terrorists are not defeated - and it is questionable whether the Kurds, despite the Turkish military operation will be able to maintain the fight against the IS.
