Heavy fighting continues for third day to stop ISIS prison break attempt in Syria

Erbil, Iraq — Heavy fighting continued on Saturday for a third day in a battle to stop ISIS' biggest operation in Syria since its defeat in 2019: a prison break attempt in the city of Al-Hasakah.

More than 100 ISIS fighters attacked Gweiran prison late Thursday, trying to free nearly 3,500 ISIS detainees held by the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces — SDF — in northeastern Syria. According to an SDF official, the attack was well-coordinated between ISIS attackers and detainees inside the jail, which is also known as al-Sina'a prison.

The source, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, described the attack as ISIS' biggest activity since its "caliphate" fell three years ago.