The transfer of authority over detention centers holding members of the so-called Islamic State, along with associated security camps, from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to the Syrian government marks a profound shift in the management of one of Syria’s most sensitive and complex security files.
This move seeks to end the long-standing duality and fragmented legitimacy that has surrounded this dossier, eliminating the risks these facilities posed as potential incubators for renewed extremist activity or as leverage in regional and international bargaining.
Under the new arrangements, the legal status of these prisons and detention centers will be restructured within a unified judicial and penal framework overseen by the state and the Ministry of Justice. This transition effectively moves thousands of detainees from a condition of political limbo into the domain of formal judicial process.
The reconfigured penal architecture is built on three tiers:
First Tier: Central Prisons
Administered by the Ministry of Interior, this tier includes the central prisons of Adra in Damascus and Aleppo, as well as those in Homs, Hama, Latakia, Tartus, As-Suwayda, and Daraa. These facilities operate under national legal standards and implement rehabilitation and reform programs.
Second Tier: Exceptional Detention Centers
This category comprises facilities formerly located east of the Euphrates, most notably the Industrial (Ghweiran) Prison in Hasakah, the central Raqqa (Al-Sawamea) Prison, the Tabqa Prison, and additional centers in Al-Shaddadi, Qamishli, and Deir ez-Zor. Once reintegrated under central sovereignty, these centers will undergo a comprehensive legal review of all detainee files—Syrian and foreign—based on counter-terrorism legislation and relevant international agreements.
Third Tier: Security Camps
The most complex component involves the Al-Hol and Roj camps in the Hasakah countryside. The Syrian approach aims to transform these camps from tools of negotiation into structured centers for legal vetting and processing. This includes accelerating national reconciliation procedures for Syrian residents and pressing foreign governments to repatriate their nationals.
This transformation implements the mutual understanding announced by the Syrian presidency, which outlines military, administrative, and political integration mechanisms with the SDF. It follows the January 18 ceasefire agreement and the subsequent integration process that began after the Syrian Army regained extensive territory in the eastern and northeastern regions.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
