An attack by ISIS sleeper cells in a bid to free the militant group’s members from al-Sinaa prison in Hasaka last month brought to the forefront the danger from the thousands of imprisoned ISIS members held in prisons and camps in Syria and Iraq.

Kobani said in an interview with the Associated Press published on Friday that the SDF had received intelligence twice last year that ISIS sleeper cells were planning to stage an attack to release their group’s members from al-Sinaa prison in Hasaka and that a previous attack was foiled.

The attack on January 20 by sleeper cells on the prison, a converted technical school in Hasaka’s neighborhood of Ghweiran, led to several days of clashes and nearly 500 deaths on both sides. The attack was the largest and the deadliest operation against the militant group since ISIS lost its last stronghold of territory in 2019.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on February 6 their sources estimate hundreds of ISIS inmates escaped from al-Sinaa, including two "emirs.” The war monitor said many ISIS members who escaped the prison fled to Turkey and areas of Syria held by Turkish-backed forces.

Kobani said the SDF shared blame for the attack, adding "We didn’t execute our responsibilities well.”

He told the Associated Press that three prisons holding ISIS members which were found to have poor security, have been emptied and a search is ongoing in 27 other facilities to determine security weaknesses. He added minors held in al-Sinaa have been moved to another facility.

The SDF commander stated the recent killing of ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Quraishi in a US operation may have been a blow to the militant group but it did not mean the group would decline.

Kobani said the SDF "provided safety and security” for US personnel but its troops did not take part in the operation.

Reporter's code: 50101