IS fighters in Syria could break free amid Trump aid cut, terrorism expert warns
IS fighters in Syria could break free amid Trump aid cut, terrorism expert warns
Share:
Prediction by ex M16 counter-terror director comes as security paused around two main detention facilities. Donald Trump has thrown into doubt the security and administration of the main two detention facilities in north-east Syria that hold thousands of Islamic State fighters, the former counter-terrorism director of M16 Richard Barrett says.
The state of limbo has been caused in the short term by the US president unexpectedly suspending all USAid funding for 90 days, and by long-term uncertainty over his willingness to retain troops in Syria. It emerged that all security and administration around al-Hol and al-Roj, the main two detention facilities, was withdrawn for the several days after funding of the camp’s humanitarian and security work was suddenly cut.
It appears funding as a stopgap has been transferred from the frozen US aid budget to the Global Coalition to Defeat Isis, a military alliance of dozens of countries including the US. But Barrett cautioned that the mainly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), responsible for guarding Islamic State (IS) fighters, was under long-term threat. He said it had not been able to reach an agreement with the de facto government in Damascus about any future role in the Syrian national army.
This meant IS saw an opportunity to engineer the escape of as many as 9,000 of its fighters held in north-east Syria, he said. Barrett, speaking to the UK foreign affairs select committee, said a 2,000-strong group of IS fighters had already had a resurgence in the past 18 months, but now saw an opportunity to launch a “Breaking the Walls” campaign, similar to one they launched in Iraq. He questioned whether Trump, owing to his isolationist policies, would continue to fund US forces remaining in north-east Syria or security around the camps.
