There are an approx 2,000 foreign IS fighters currently held in prisons in N E Syria. Those prisons are now at risk. The Islamic State Group was born in prisons, it’s leadership got out, organised, and brought terror to the region and the world. This is a counter terrorism crisis
A useful reminder of the birthplace of IS. It was only ten years ago! independent.co.uk/news/world/mid…
I’ve spent years visting these prisons and speaking to IS suspects. Time after time they talked about being broken out of jail. IS did it before, and it’s supporters expect them to do it again. 
The tragedy - or farce - is that everyone saw this coming. Western diplomats, Brits included, say they lack the legislation to bring IS supporters home for prosecution. And they knew that circumstances on the ground would end up dictating what happened next
Some of the prisons we’ve visited are tiny. Not purpose built. They will likely end up being in Turkish safe zone - who will handle their transfer? There is no capacity to move large numbers of IS prisoners at present.
The threat is real.
If this is to happen then work will need to be done on an orderly handover of the prisons in the Turkish “safe zone”. A job for @CJTFOIR ?
NEW: A senior Kurdish official has told the BBC that some foreign Islamic State Group prisoners will be relocated inside NE Syria following the Turkish incursion.
As Turkey pushes further into Syria, what will become of Islamic State extremists locked up in Kurdish jails? Are they a jihadist army waiting to rise again? Watch #bbcnewsten as we take you inside.
