Security increasing at ISIS prisons after al-Baghdadi death

Kurdish fighters in northern Syria said this week that they have increased security around prisons where ISIS fighters are being held in the wake of the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The Associated Press reported that Kurdish forces said they were on “high alert” for riots or other unrest in the camps in Kurdish-held territory where around 70,000 relatives of fighters are housed as well as in the prisons where around 10,000 ISIS fighters remained imprisoned.

{mosads}News of al-Baghdadi’s death had likely reached some of the camps, including the largest one, the AP reported, as many of those remaining in Kurdish-overseen refugee camps have access to mobile phones. No official announcement of al-Baghdadi’s death was made by Kurdish forces to ISIS captives or their families, according to the AP.

Kurdish forces added to the AP that they believe “many” ISIS-aligned fighters remain in hiding in areas now controlled by Turkish-backed forces following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from northeastern Syria.

The Trump administration’s decision to withdraw troops has been heavily criticized on Capitol Hill for increasing the possibility of a resurgence of ISIS forces in areas previously retaken by a U.S.-backed coalition.

President Trump announced the death of al-Baghdadi at a press conference Sunday, saying U.S. forces cornered the ISIS leader at a facility in Syria’s Idlib province, near Turkish-held territory.

A Syrian Democratic Fighters official also announced Sunday that a top spokesman for the terrorist group had been killed in a raid just hours after al-Baghdadi’s death.