Resurgence of IS Threats: Insights from a Syrian Jail

Mon Oct 27 2025 16:47:30 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As attacks by the Islamic State (IS) increase in northeastern Syria, the Kurdish administration faces challenges in managing thousands of detainees. Explore the conditions in al-Sina prison and the stories of former fighters and their families.

In the wake of rising IS attacks in Syria, Kurdish officials are expressing grave concerns over the resurgence of the Islamic State. The al-Sina prison, housing 8,000 IS suspects, faces the challenge of preventing recruitment and radicalization among detainees. Families of suspected fighters continue to live in camps under harsh conditions, with many still clinging to IS ideology.

In the complex mosaic of the new Syria, the old battle against the group calling itself Islamic State (IS) continues in the Kurdish-controlled north-east. It's a conflict that has slipped from the headlines - with bigger wars elsewhere.

But Kurdish counter-terrorism officials have told the BBC that IS cells in Syria are regrouping and increasing their attacks.

Walid Abdul-Basit Sheikh Mousa was obsessed with motorbikes and finally managed to buy one in January. The 21-year-old only had a few weeks to enjoy it. He was killed in February fighting against IS in north-eastern Syria.

Generations of his extended family gathered in the yard of their home in the city of Qamishli to tell us about his short life. I see him everywhere, said his mother, Rojin Mohammed. He left me with so many memories. He was very caring and affectionate.

Kurdish authorities are grappling with the resurgence of IS threats as they hold around 8,000 suspected IS fighters from 48 countries in a network of prisons in the north east. The largest jail for IS suspects is al-Sina in the city of Al Hasakah.

Some detainees, wearing disposable masks to prevent infection, remain locked away indefinitely with tuberculosis as a constant companion. A former IS fighter, Hamza Parvez from London, expressed his fears for his life in prison, challenging notions of risk as he pleads for his return to the UK.

The situation is dire not only for fighters but also for their families, who are imprisoned in sprawling tented camps. These camps, like Roj and al-Hol, have been described as open-air prisons where support from human rights organizations is scarce and conditions are harsh.

As Kurdish authorities face these challenges, IS continues to find ways to recruit and strengthen its hold within the regions, raising the alarm for all stakeholders involved in the fight against terrorism in the Middle East.