Washington Leverages Jan 19 Trump‑Assad Call to Shape Prison Handover After President Donald Trump spoke with President Bashar al‑Assad on 19 January, the United States began pressing Damascus to integrate remaining SDF counter‑ISIS units into the Interior Ministry and to safeguard detention facilities holding roughly 9,000 IS prisoners [1]. U.S. officials warned that an abrupt replacement of SDF intelligence networks would create a security gap that could enable ISIS to regroup [1]. The leverage offered by the call is intended to smooth the transition while allowing Damascus to pursue its political consolidation [1].

Syrian Troops Capture Al‑Aqtan and Shaddadeh Prisons Amid Chaotic Evacuations On 23 January Syrian government forces took control of al‑Aqtan prison north of Raqqa after Kurdish fighters withdrew under a negotiated corridor to Kobani [2]. Earlier that week they entered Shaddadeh prison near the Iraqi border, where about 120 IS detainees fled; the interior ministry later reported that 81 of those escapees had been recaptured [2]. The government’s prisons authority began reviewing detainee files, signaling a shift toward Syrian administration of the facilities [2].

UNHCR Assumes Management of al‑Hol Camp Under Syrian Security Perimeter The United Nations announced that UNHCR now runs al‑Hol camp following the Kurdish‑led SDF withdrawal, coordinating with Syrian authorities to re‑establish humanitarian access [3]. Syrian forces have set up a security perimeter around the camp, but conditions inside remain tense and aid operations stay suspended due to ongoing violence [3]. The UN emphasized that the situation is fragile while the camp, home to roughly 24,000 residents, transitions to government control [3].

U.S. Starts Large‑Scale Transfer of IS Detainees to Iraq Beginning on 21 January the U.S. military moved an initial batch of about 150 ISIS detainees from Hassakeh to secure Iraqi facilities, a process that could eventually involve up to 7,000 prisoners [4][5][6][7]. Baghdad requested the transfers, and both the Syrian government and the U.S.–led coalition welcomed the operation as a regional security measure [4][5]. Iraq has bolstered border patrols with tanks near Sinjar as it prepares to receive the detainees for prosecution [4][7].

Disputed Figures on Prison Break Escapees Highlight Tension Syrian interior ministry officials said roughly 120 prisoners escaped from Shaddadeh, with 81 recaptured [2][8], while an SDF spokesperson claimed about 1,500 ISIS members fled, accusing government‑aligned forces of releasing them [8]. CNN could not independently verify the SDF figure, underscoring the competing narratives as Syrian forces continue hunting fugitives [8]. The divergent counts reflect the broader mistrust between Damascus and the Kurdish‑led SDF during the handover period.