The United States captured an ISIS leader who assisted members of the terror group after they escaped from a Syrian detention center in Raqqah.
Working with Syrian Democratic Forces, U.S. Central Command forces captured Khaled Ahmed al-Dandal in the early morning hours of Sept. 1, a statement said.
Previously, on Aug. 29, five ISIS Foreign Terrorist Fighter detainees (Two Russians, two Afghans, and one Libyan) escaped from the Raqqah Detention Facility. SDF recaptured two escapees: Imam Abdulwahed Akhwan (Russian) and Muhammad Noh Muhammad (Libyan). The search continues for the three who remain at large: Timor Talbrken Abdash (Russian) and Shuab Muhammad Al-Abdli and Atal Khaled Zar (both Afghans).
A primary objective of ISIS remains to free their fighters currently held in detention and subsequently fuel an ISIS revival. CENTCOM forces, in coordination with SDF, will continue to mitigate threats of future escapes and to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. (CENTCOM)
“Over 9,000 ISIS detainees remain in over 20 SDF detention facilities in Syria, a literal and figurative ‘ISIS Army’ in detention," said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, Commander, U.S. Central Command, in a statement. "If a large number of these ISIS fighters escaped, it would pose an extreme danger to the region and beyond. We will continue to work with the international community to repatriate these ISIS fighters to their countries of origin for final adjudication."
CENTCOM Forces Partner with Syrian Democratic Forces to Capture ISIS Leader and Assist in Operation to Recapture Escaped ISIS Fighters
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) September 2, 2024
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces, partnered with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), captured an ISIS leader, who was assessed as helping ISIS… pic.twitter.com/Pdd2MzXI9Q