Syria's Interior Ministry said on Friday it had taken over al-Aktan prison in the city of Raqqa in northeastern Syria, a facility that was formerly under the control of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Members of the Syrian military police gather outside al-Aqtan prison, where some Islamic State detainees are held, in Raqqa, Syria January 22, 2026. Reuters/Karam al-Masri
Syria's Interior Ministry said on Friday it had taken over al-Aktan prison in the city of Raqqa in northeastern Syria, a facility that was formerly under the control of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The prison has been holding detainees linked to the militant group Islamic State, and witnessed clashes in its vicinity this week between advancing Syrian government forces and the SDF.
It was not immediately clear how many IS detainees remain in al-Aktan prison as the U.S. military has started transferring up to 7,000 prisoners linked to the militant Islamist group from Syrian jails to neighbouring Iraq. U.S. officials say the detainees are citizens of many countries, including in Europe.
"Specialized teams were formed from the counter-terrorism department and other relevant authorities to take over the tasks of guarding and securing the prison and controlling the security situation inside it", the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
Under a sweeping integration deal agreed on Sunday, responsibility for prisons housing IS detainees was meant to be transferred to the Syrian government.
The SDF said on Monday it was battling Syrian government forces near al-Aktan and that the seizure of the prison by the government forces "could have serious security repercussions that threaten stability and pave the way for a return to chaos and terrorism".
The U.S. transfer of IS prisoners follows the rapid collapse of Kurdish-led forces in northeast Syria. Concerns over prison security intensifed after the escape on Tuesday of roughly 200 low-level Islamic State fighters from Syria's Shaddadi prison. Syrian government forces later recaptured many of them.
Reporting by Ahmed Elimam
Lebanon and Syria will in the coming months begin revising decades-old trade agreements to revive their economic relationship following the ouster of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in 2024, Lebanon's economy minister told Reuters on Thursday.
Syrian authorities said on Thursday they had foiled an attempt to smuggle advanced weapons and missiles across the border from Iraq, with state news agency SANA citing an Interior Ministry source as saying the shipment appeared destined for militant group Hezbollah.
The U.S. struck Iran's coastal defenses and missile sites on Wednesday after reimposing a naval blockade of its ports, while Iran threatened to shut off more regional energy exports, saying it was engaged in an "existential war" with America.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.