US leaves dozens of ‘high value’ ISIS detainees behind amid Syria retreat: report

The U.S. left five dozen “high value” ISIS prisoners behind during its retreat from Syria ahead of Turkey’s offensive the country, two American officials told The New York Times on Sunday.

The Times’ report comes after it was reported that hundreds of allies of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) escaped from a low-security detention camp Sunday after Turkey’s invasion of Syria to attack the Kurds sparked pandemonium.

{mosads}Five additional detainees also escaped when Turkey attacked a Kurdish-run prison in Qamishli on Friday, according to the Times.

President Trump announced the U.S. removed the worst ISIS prisoners last week. That amounted to two British detainees thought to be ISIS members.

The Kurds have refused to let the U.S. take out any other detainees, officials told the Times. About 11,000 prisoners are in Syria, with 9,000 from Syria or Iraq and about 2,000 from 50 other nations that have not taken them back. 

ISIS has claimed responsibility for two attacks since Turkey entered Syria, one in Qamishli and one outside of Hasaksa, the Times reported.

The chaos began when Trump announced the U.S. would remove troops from Syria. Turkey threatened to invade the country to launch offensives against the Kurds, who helped the U.S. fight ISIS and monitored the ISIS detainees. 

Now, as Kurds have turned their attention onto the incoming Turkish troops, ISIS prisoners are being released or left to escape. Former Defense Secretary James Mattis said on “Meet the Press” Sunday that the chaos could lead to the resurgence of ISIS.