Ankara [Turkey], January 20: The office of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday refuted media reports that Türkiye had recently assisted the Syrian army in releasing suspects of the Islamic State (IS).
The claim that IS suspects were released by the Syrian army with the assistance of Türkiye in Syria is "entirely unfounded," said the Center for Combating Disinformation under the presidency's Directorate of Communications.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, the center said Türkiye has gained international recognition for "leading the most comprehensive efforts against the IS in the region and for dealing the heaviest blows to the terrorist organization to date."
The Syrian army said on Monday that it has taken control of the Shaddadi area and its prison holding thousands of IS suspects in northeastern Hasakah province after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reported a loss of control over the facility amid escalating clashes.
The army accused the SDF of releasing the inmates during recent clashes. The SDF said the prison had come under repeated attacks by Damascus-affiliated forces, leading to heavy casualties before it lost control of the site.
The Syrian interim authority rejected the SDF's claims, accusing it of attempting to politicize the issue and use the prison as leverage.
The development occurred a day after the interim government and the SDF signed a new ceasefire and integration agreement.
Source: Qatar Tribune