Over 100 IS Prisoners Escaped in Syria: US Envoy
Jeffrey made the remarks to the House of Foreign Affairs Committee after he was asked about the jihadists held in Syria, on which, he noted "we would say the number is now over 100. We do not know where they are."
Turkey began an offensive against the Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria on October 9, as it views them as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is designated as a "terrorist organization" by Ankara.
As a result of the Turkish bombardments, the Kurdish forces said that hundreds of IS jihadists broke out of prison, as the Kurdish fighters could not handle both fighting Turkey and guarding the prisons.
However, Jeffrey further noted that the Kurdish forces were still guarding the IS prisoners.
"Almost all of the prisons that the SDF were guarding are still secured. The SDF still has people there," Jeffrey, using an acronym for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
"We are monitoring that as best we can. We still have people in Syria working with the SDF and one of those priorities is these prisons."
