2026-01-20T15:57:08+00:00
Shafaq News– Erbil
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani warned on Tuesday that escalating clashes between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) could create conditions for an ISIS resurgence.
In a statement, Barzani said the violence has prompted the Kurdistan Region to engage regional and international actors to press for an immediate ceasefire, stressing that military confrontation would only deepen the crisis. He urged the US-led Coalition to prevent ISIS from re-emerging.
Any political settlement, the Kurdish president added, must constitutionally guarantee the rights of Kurds and other components in Syria.
ئێمه له ههرێمى كوردستان به نيگهرانييهكى زۆرهوه له بهردهواميى پێكدادان و ڕووبهڕووبوونهوه سهربازييهكانى نێوان هێزهكانى سوپاى سووريا و ههسهده دهڕوانين. بهردهواميى شهڕ و پێكدادان ههڕهشهيهكى جددى لهسهر ئارامى و سهقامگيريى سووريا و ناوچهكه بهگشتى دروست…
— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) January 20, 2026
Fighting has intensified across northern and eastern Syria despite a new ceasefire declared by transitional President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, raising concerns over spillover into Iraq and the security of detention sites holding ISIS members. The US State Department earlier reported that nearly 9,000 ISIS fighters are held in facilities across Hasakah, Qamishli and Raqqa.
The SDF has reported losing control of Al-Shaddadi prison in Hasakah after repeated attacks by government-aligned factions, while Coalition patrols have entered Al-Aqtan prison following clashes near the site.
Read more: Syria’s calm: An end to threat or a start of a complex security phase for Iraq?
Source: Shafaq News
