ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Friday announced it has completed the evacuation of its fighters from al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa province, ending days of tensions around one of the region’s most sensitive detention sites.

”With the help of the international coalition, we have completed the process of transporting our fighters, who were tasked with protecting the al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa, which houses detainees from the terrorist organization ISIS [Islamic State], to safe locations,” read an SDF statement.

In a statement, the Syrian interior ministry said the Prison and Corrections Administration assumed control of al-Aqtan and immediately began a comprehensive review of detainees’ personal and judicial files to ensure legal procedures are applied individually. 

It added that specialized units from the Counterterrorism Department and other security bodies were deployed to guard and secure the prison.

The Interior Ministry said it is committed to human rights principles and the rule of law, and that prison management will be conducted in a precise and methodical manner aimed at reinforcing security and stability.

The takeover follows several days of military escalation around the prison earlier this week. The Kurdish-led SDF said Damascus-affiliated factions shelled al-Aqtan prison beginning Monday, using tanks and artillery in repeated attempts to storm the facility, which holds suspected ISIS members and leaders. The SDF said its forces repelled the attacks before later withdrawing.

In statements issued Tuesday and Thursday, the SDF accused Damascus-linked factions of besieging the prison, cutting off water supplies and violating a ceasefire agreement, warning that the measures posed serious humanitarian and security risks to detainees. The group also reported continued shelling of areas near Kobane and other parts of northern Syria.

The handover of al-Aqtan prison took place amid continued uncertainty over ceasefire implementation and the security of detention facilities holding ISIS suspects in Rojava (north and east Syria).

In addition to al-Aqtan, Damascus-affiliated factions have taken control of the al-Shaddadi prison and al-Hol camp in Hasakah as well. The three sites house tens of thousands of ISIS members and their families, raising concerns about a potential reemergence of the terror group amid the instability.