Additional Coverage:
On September 2nd, forces from the U.S. Central Command, collaborating with the Syrian Democratic Forces, apprehended a key ISIS figure believed to be instrumental in orchestrating jailbreaks at a detainment center in Raqqah, Syria, the U.S. military announced on Monday.
The arrestee, identified as Khaled Ahmed al-Dandal, reportedly played a crucial role in facilitating escapes from the facility.
This capture follows an incident last Thursday when five ISIS detainees—comprising two Russians, two Afghans, and one Libyan—broke out from the Ar Raqqah detention center in northern Syria. The Syrian Democratic Forces have since recaptured two of the escapees, with three others still at large.
Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of U.S.
Central Command, highlighted the ongoing threat, noting that over 9,000 ISIS detainees are currently housed across more than 20 SDF facilities in Syria. He underscored the significant danger posed by potential mass escapes, which could revitalize ISIS’s capabilities and pose risks globally.
Gen. Kurilla reiterated the commitment of U.S. forces to work internationally to repatriate these detainees for trial in their home countries.
The commitment to defeating ISIS and maintaining regional stability was further reinforced by Central Command, which remains dedicated to backing the Syrian Democratic Forces.
Additionally, a separate operation in Iraq last Thursday saw U.S. forces, in cooperation with Iraqi Security Forces, engage ISIS militants, resulting in 15 ISIS combatants killed and seven U.S. service members wounded. The operation targeted ISIS leader hideouts, and all injured U.S. personnel are reported to be in stable condition.