U.S. forces in Syria have captured Khaled Ahmed al-Dandal, an ISIS leader who played a key role in a recent prison break involving detained foreign fighters. The operation, conducted jointly by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), took place early Sunday morning. Al-Dandal is linked to the escape of five ISIS members—two Russians, two Afghans, and one Libyan—from a detention facility in Raqqa on August 29.
The SDF has already recaptured two of the escapees: Imam Abdulwahed Akhwan from Russia and Muhammad Noh Muhammad from Libya. CENTCOM is still searching for the three remaining fugitives: Russian Timor Talbrken Abdash and Afghans Shuab Muhammad Al-Abdli and Atal Khaled Zar.
According to CENTCOM, a key goal of ISIS is to free its detained fighters and reignite its operations. CENTCOM, in collaboration with the SDF, remains committed to preventing future escapes and ensuring the lasting defeat of ISIS. The U.S. military estimates that over 9,000 ISIS detainees are currently held across 20 SDF-run facilities in Syria. CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla warned that a mass escape of these detainees would pose a significant threat to regional and global security.