Syria forms judicial committees to review legal status of Raqqa prison inmates after SDF terror group's withdrawal

​​​​​​​By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Syrian government formed specialized judicial committees on Friday to review the legal status of inmates at the al-Aktan prison in the northern city of Raqqa, following the withdrawal of the YPG/SDF terror organization from the facility.

The Justice Ministry said the prison was formally handed to security authorities after SDF forces exited the facility as part of efforts to reassert state authority and restore institutions under the rule of law, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.

Authorities are ensuring the safety and security of detainees and have taken all measures to guarantee their humanitarian and legal rights, including access to food, water and medical care, in line with Syrian law and judicial standards, the statement added.

The ministry announced that it formed specialized judicial committees to review the legal files of all inmates and examine their cases carefully with the aim of resolving them as quickly as possible through proper legal procedures.

The Justice Ministry said the process will be handled with “full responsibility and transparency,” reassuring families that detainees’ rights will be protected.

The Interior Ministry announced earlier that it had taken over the al-Aktan prison from the SDF, saying prison and corrections authorities had begun a comprehensive review of detainees’ personal and judicial files to ensure the application of the law.

The handover came after the transfer of around 800 SDF members who had been running the prison and its surroundings, following five days of negotiations with the government, according to Alikhbaria TV.

Under the agreement, Syrian Army units and security agencies assumed control of the prison in full, including sections holding detainees linked to the ISIS (Daesh) terror group, to ensure their management under Syrian law.

Syrian forces entered Raqqa city earlier this week after advancing to the province’s administrative boundaries, following the collapse of SDF control that had been in place since 2017 with US backing.

On Sunday, President Ahmad al-Sharaa announced a ceasefire agreement with the SDF to integrate its members into state institutions.

A key provision of the deal stipulates the transfer of responsibility for prisons and camps holding ISIS detainees, along with the forces guarding them, to the government, granting it full legal and security authority over the facilities.

The agreement followed a multi-day military operation launched by the army, during which it regained large areas in eastern and northeastern Syria after repeated SDF violations of earlier agreements signed roughly 10 months ago.

The SDF had previously failed to implement a March 10, 2025, agreement with the government that called for equal rights for the Kurdish component and the integration of civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria into the state administration.