SDF releases important statement about attack of ISIS mercenaries on Al-Sina'a prison

 The operating command of the SDF issued a written statement about the details and results of the ISIS mercenary's attack on Al-Sina'a prison in the city of Al-Hasakah during the past three days.

 The text of the statement stated:

 "It is clear to public opinion that the Turkish state continues to threaten our areas. It is known that before now, Turkish drones killed six young men in Kobani. After that, the Turkish state's attacks on the areas of "Ain Issa, Zarkan, and Tal Tamr" increased against civilians directly.

 Our forces showed great resistance to protect our people against the attacks of the occupation and defended them valiantly.  At a time when our forces are resisting in the lines of contact with the occupation;  ISIS mercenaries launched a massive attack on Al-Sina'a prison; the largest prison in which ISIS terrorists and mercenaries are detained that poses a danger not only to our regions but the whole world.

 According to the confessions of the mercenaries who were arrested by our forces;  At least 200 suicide terrorists participated in the attack, some of whom came from the areas of Serêkaniyê / Ras al-Ain and Girê Spî / Tal Abyad, as well as from Iraq, and they took Ghweran neighborhood as their starting point.  After preparations took place for 6 months;  On January 20, at 19:30, they attacked the prison with car bombs.  Simultaneously with the attack from abroad, the mercenaries detained in the prison attacked its employees, such as medical staff, food preparation workers as well as guards, and tried to escape from the prison.  There is still no clear information about the fate of these workers.  As most of the mercenaries' escape attempts were unsuccessful, only a few managed to reach the Economics College building next to the prison.  But our forces took full control of the prison perimeter.  The fiercest battles took place with the sleeper cells that launched the attack from the outside, in the neighborhoods of “Ghweran Al-Sharqi and Al-Zohour” as well as in the Panorama Square, and most of the attacking mercenaries were killed.  Some of the hidden tunnels that the mercenaries used to move around were also controlled, and our forces seized a large number of heavy weapons, including the dushka weapons.

 Now the prison is under the control of our forces, and measures have been taken that thwarted all attempts to escape the mercenaries, and our forces are working to impose their control inside the prison as well.  We believe that between two to three mercenary cells are still stationed in the "Ghweran" neighborhood, and therefore combing operations continue by our forces in the neighborhood.

 During the past three days, more than 160 mercenaries were killed from the attacking mercenaries and about 15 of the arrested mercenaries who tried to escape from prison and clashed with our forces, as a result, more than 175/ mercenaries were killed.

 During the three days, 27 of our fighters were martyred.

 Now, the situation is under the control of our forces, which have begun a massive purge, with the participation of about 10,000 of our fighters and the Internal Security Forces.

 During the past three days, our forces (SDF), the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) and the Community Protection Forces (HPC) showed great vigilance and did their duty.  The international coalition forces to combat ISIS also participated in a great way in supporting our forces.

 Our people in Ghweran neighborhood and Hasaka in general also cooperated with our forces, and we thank them for their dedication and stance.  However, some cells of the terrorist organization “ISIS” are still hiding in them, and our forces are pursuing them until they are eliminated or arrested.  We call on our people in al-Hasakah and all citizens to cooperate with the security forces, which act with great sensitivity and are keen not to expose civilians to any harm or damage in order to preserve their lives and property, because mercenaries hide among civilians and use them as human shields.

 We in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and just as we have taken our decision to fight the terrorist organization “ISIS” and eliminate its alleged state, to rid our regions and the whole world of its evils, we also affirm that today we are more determined to eliminate the remnants of the terrorist organization, and we will put a permanent end to it,  And free the world from this affliction.  This is our decision, and our response to the ISIS attack will be in this context.  However, we believe that there is a need for us to clarify some other information to the public.

 According to the confessions and testimonies of some ISIS mercenaries who were arrested;  The leaders and officials of mercenaries are located in the areas occupied by Turkey, such as Serêkaniyê / Ras al-Ain, and the mercenaries in prison tried to escape towards those areas, and some of them came from the “Ramadi” area in Iraq, and it is not a coincidence that it coincided with the preoccupation of our forces in responding to the ISIS attack  “The terrorist is in prison;  The Turkish occupation state and its mercenaries launched an attack on the points and concentrations of our forces in and around Ain Issa, and they caused the death of 3 of our fighters, after they showed heroic resistance against them and thwarted the attacks.  The Turkish occupation and its mercenaries also launched an attack on the areas of Tal Tamr and Abu Rasin as well.  There is a close connection between these attacks and the terrorist attack of ISIS.

 Just as we heroically defended our people and regions, against all attacks, we affirm once again that we will continue to protect and defend them.

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ANHA