U.S. captures ISIS leader in Syria who helped fighters escape, CENTCOM says
SUMMARY
U.S. troops and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) captured Khaled Ahmed al-Dandal, an ISIS leader who facilitated the escape of five ISIS fighters from the Raqqah Detention Facility in Syria, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). The escapees included two Russians, two Afghans, and one Libyan, with two recaptured and three still at large. This operation underscores the ongoing threat posed by ISIS, even after losing its last stronghold in Syria in 2019. CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael "Eric" Kurilla highlighted the risk of an ISIS resurgence, noting that 9,000 ISIS detainees remain in SDF-run detention centers. He warned that a mass escape could lead to a significant security crisis, describing the detainees as a "literal and figurative 'ISIS Army' in detention" capable of destabilizing the region.
