Syria: announced release of IS jihadists raises fears of return to chaos
Kurdish soldiers removing a poster pasted by ISIS in the town of Tal-Abyad in Syria on June 16, 2015 (illustrative image).
REUTERS / Rodi Said
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
The Kurds of Syria have fought the Islamic State group, captured and imprisoned thousands of jiahdists, and yet they are now preparing to free the “less dangerous” Syrian fighters.
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This amnesty also concerns
the families of jihadists
of the Islamic State organization.
About 25,000 Syrian women and children will be released.
In northeastern Syria, very few voices are raised against this decision.
But some firmly oppose it and warn of the danger of these releases.
To justify their decision, the Kurds particularly deplore the lack of international aid.
But this young Syrian from Raqqa, who testifies anonymously, denounces an irresponsible decision.
“
I know that in Europe, your only concern is your Western jihadists who have joined Daesh.
You dread their release.
But your jihadists would never have been able to commit the atrocities they committed if they had not been supported by local jihadists.
And it is these local jihadists and their families who will be released,
”he underlines.
Pressure on Western countries
According to the Kurdish authorities, releasing some Syrian jihadists will allow better monitoring of foreign detainees.
Because, until now, Western countries refuse to repatriate their nationals who are members of the EI group.
However, our witness from Raqqa predicted the return of chaos.
“
The security situation is already very unstable.
Regularly, the jihadists start mutinies in the prisons.
Do you think releasing some of them will calm them down?
They will come back and try to free all their comrades who have remained behind bars,
”he fears.
According to him, the Kurds are perfectly aware of this risk.
But they hope to trigger a click in the Western powers and obtain more aid.
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Syria
Kurds
EI
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On the verge of implosion, Kurdish prisons will release Syrian jihadists