334 ISIS members released in Syria
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have released 334 ISIS members over the course of this week, following days of discussion with Arab tribal leaders living in the Deir ez-Zor area of northeast Syria.
As ICC reports, the tribal leaders had called on the SDF on December 20th to release the women and children belonging to the tribes being held in the camp. The 334 ISIS members released by the SDF this week were chosen because they the militia believed that the terrorists had not made any attacks directly against the SDF. The tribal leaders have promised that they will not let these terrorist rejoin “forces who fight against humanity, such as al-Qaeda and Daesh.”
The SDF has repeatedly warned that they are overstretched with the responsibility of caring for more than 10,000 detained ISIS members. The Turkish invasion, prompted by the withdrawal of US troops, into Syria this past October incurred new fears that the SDF could not manage the ISIS members and the area’s new security environment simultaneously. Warnings that these ISIS members may have to be released have been a consistent theme over the past several months.
