There is no doubt that ISIS has been defeated in its main strongholds in the Middle East, yet its sleeper cells still pose a threat, particularly in Syria and Iraq. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced today, Friday, the escape of 12 ISIS prisoners from the Afrin prison. It noted that the escape of these organization members and leaders came after collusion with the military police. The prison, located in northern Syria, is under the control of Turkish forces.
The Observatory's sources indicated that the escape of the 12 prisoners from a facility overseen by the military police affiliated with the Turkish forces in the Bulbul district of Afrin's Olive Branch area occurred with direct collusion and cooperation from the military police personnel and leadership. They added that the military police's involvement was exposed, and to cover up the operation, they detained two of the escaped individuals.
It is worth mentioning that areas under Turkish control in the north harbor ISIS leaders, making these areas a safe environment for them. This incident is not the first of its kind; earlier this year, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that about 20 members of the organization managed to escape from the Rajo prison in northern Aleppo, known as the "Black Prison," with the collusion of prison officials as well.
According to the Syrian Observatory's sources, those who were smuggled from Rajo prison were solely ISIS members, with direct collaboration from the prison authorities, in exchange for amounts ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 per individual. Some individuals reportedly paid amounts reaching up to $10,000 to manage their escape. Additionally, Afrin prison holds dozens of civilians from the local area who were arrested on charges of cooperating with Kurdish forces, and it is located near the Turkish-Syrian border.
