The Syrian government has issued a statement that cautions the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against allowing the escape or release of ISIL (ISIS) members from its detention centres “as a retaliatory measure or a political pressure tactic,” according to SANA.

The Syrian army accuses the SDF of releasing detainees from the al-Shaddadi prison as its forces were advancing. The SDF denies this, claiming the prison had come under attack by government-affiliated fighters.

“Any security breach in these prisons will be the direct responsibility of the party currently controlling them, and the Syrian state will treat any such act as a war crime and direct collusion with terrorism that threatens the security of Syria and the entire region,” the statement reads, according to SANA.