Syria's Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that about 120 Islamic State detainees escaped from Shaddadi prison, after the Kurdish website Rudaw reported that a spokesperson for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, Farhad Shami, said around 1,500 Islamic State members had escaped.
The Syrian ministry said Syrian army units and ministry special forces entered Shaddadi following the breakout. It said security forces had recaptured 81 of the escapees after search and sweep operations in the town and surrounding areas, with efforts continuing to arrest the remaining fugitives.
Earlier, the Syrian army said "a number of" Islamic State militants had escaped a prison that had been under SDF control in the eastern city of Shaddadi, accusing the SDF of releasing them.
After days of fighting with government forces, the SDF agreed on Sunday to withdraw from both Raqqa and Deir al-Zor, two Arab-majority provinces they had controlled for years and the location of Syria's main oil fields.
Meanwhile, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed developments in Syria during a phone call on Monday (19 January), including Kurdish rights and cooperation against Islamic State, the Syrian presidency said.
According to the presidency, both leaders stressed the need to preserve the rights of Kurdish people within the Syrian state and agreed to continue working together to combat Islamic State.
The call came a day after Damascus signed a wide-ranging integration agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), aimed at incorporating Kurdish civilian and military structures into state institutions.
Despite the deal, tensions persisted on Monday in parts of northern Syria, underscoring the fragility of the arrangement following days of fighting.
The agreement marks a significant shift in Syria’s political and security landscape, as Damascus moves to reassert control over territory previously held by the SDF, once the main U.S. ally in the country.
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters he was "not satisfied" with Iran's latest peace proposal, which was delivered to Wash...
Azerbaijan won nine medals at the 2026 President Cup international regatta, held in Mingachevir and dedicated to Azerbaijan’s former presiden...
Preparations for Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to Kazakhstan were a central focus of talks in Astana between President Kassym-Jomart Tokaye...
An international youth forum titled “Strengthening the Role of Youth in the Postcolonial Era” opened in Baku on 1 May, bringing togethe...
Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, has hosted the International Carpet Festival for the second time, with this year’s event opening with discu...
Azerbaijan won nine medals at the 2026 President Cup international regatta, held in Mingachevir and dedicated to Azerbaijan’s former president and national leader, Heydar Aliyev.
Preparations for Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to Kazakhstan were a central focus of talks in Astana between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
An international youth forum titled “Strengthening the Role of Youth in the Postcolonial Era” opened in Baku on 1 May, bringing together delegates from current and former colonies to discuss decolonisation, self-determination and the role of young people in shaping global governance.
A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 billion had so far been spent on the conflict, most of it on munitions. Earlier, Donald Trump said that the U.S. had "militarily defeated" Tehran.
A report published by Minval Politika has raised new questions over alleged efforts by Luis Moreno Ocampo to shape international pressure against Azerbaijan and influence political dynamics around Armenia.
Minval Politika has released further footage it says shows former International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo discussing alleged funding behind campaigns linked to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Shares in Meta Platforms fell sharply in extended trading on Wednesday after the tech giant raised its annual capital spending forecast by billions of dollars.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned “foreigners who commit evil” have no place in the Gulf, outlining a “new phase” for the Strait of Hormuz, while a senior adviser said U.S. blockade efforts would fail and could trigger confrontation.
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters he was "not satisfied" with Iran's latest peace proposal, which was delivered to Washington via Pakistani mediators on Friday (1 May).
Azerbaijan won nine medals at the 2026 President Cup international regatta, held in Mingachevir and dedicated to Azerbaijan’s former president and national leader, Heydar Aliyev.
Preparations for Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to Kazakhstan were a central focus of talks in Astana between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
An international youth forum titled “Strengthening the Role of Youth in the Postcolonial Era” opened in Baku on 1 May, bringing together delegates from current and former colonies to discuss decolonisation, self-determination and the role of young people in shaping global governance.
Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, has hosted the International Carpet Festival for the second time, with this year’s event opening with discussions on challenges facing the global carpet industry.
A large diplomatic delegation is touring Azerbaijan’s Garabagh and East Zangezur regions, observing reconstruction projects and memorial sites tied to recent conflicts. The visit highlights both infrastructure development and unresolved humanitarian issues raised by officials.
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