ISIS Detention Centers at Risk as Fighting Erupts in Northeast Syria

Fighting between U.S.-aligned forces in northeast Syria is raising alarms over the security of detention centers holding thousands of ISIS fighters and family members. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are responsible for guarding the prisons, but recent clashes have forced guards to thin out, increasing fears of mass escapes and a potential ISIS resurgence. The detention camps have held ISIS detainees since the group’s territorial defeat in 2019. The Trump administration has signaled reduced U.S. military protection in the region and is urging Kurdish forces to integrate into the Syrian state. U.S. senators are now warning they could restore Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act sanctions if Kurdish forces are attacked or if detention facilities collapse, citing the risk of renewed regional terrorism.