US-backed Syria forces retake prison a week after IS assault

By SARAH EL DEEB
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — U.S.-backed Kurdish-led forces say they have wrestled control of the last section in a prison controlled by Islamic State militants, ending a weeklong assault by the extremists on one of the largest detention facilities in Syria. Farhad Shami, a spokesman for the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, said Wednesday the prison is now under their control. Shami said about 3,000 inmates have surrendered and it was not clear how many of them were minors. The militants had used child detainees as human shields slowing down the effort to retake the facility located in the northeastern city of Hassakeh. The assault began late Thursday. Around 200 armed militants remained holed up in the northern wing at one end of the prison complex, holding hostages from among the prison staff.