Damascus, Syria – A massive fire broke out amidst a state of unrest and a standoff within the prison in the city of Ayn al-Arab (Kobani), in the northern countryside of Aleppo, resulting in a heavy toll of casualties among the inmates. Sources confirmed that 26 prisoners were affected by the blaze; nine inmates lost their lives, while 17 others sustained burns of varying severity, including four cases described as critical. These tragic developments followed actions by a number of detainees who set fire to bedding and foam mattresses inside the dormitories. This occurred alongside unconfirmed reports regarding the authorities’ intention to transfer them to prisons outside the city within the Aleppo governorate—a move the inmates rejected, prompting them to stage a protest and mutiny within the facility, which is still managed by its previous staff and has not yet been officially handed over to the Syrian Ministry of Interior.
The background to the tension and the repercussions of the killing of the young man Siban Hazni.
The roots of the security crisis in the city lie in the massive popular protests that took place in Kobani yesterday, Friday, condemning the killing of Sipan Hazni, a fighter with the Syrian Ministry of Defense (Al-Hasakah Brigade). Tensions escalated after General Security forces attempted to disperse the demonstration; the protests involved stone-throwing and the use of gunfire to break up the crowds, followed by a wave of arrests in which several young men were detained and taken to Kobani Prison. Additionally, 13 other detainees were transferred to Aleppo—a move that fueled anger within the detention facility and led to the outbreak of the deadly fire.
Official and human rights reactions, and public condemnation
At both official and community levels, the Councils of Martyrs’ Families in the cities and towns of Jazira condemned the killing of fighter Sipan Hazni, describing it as an unlawful criminal act that cannot be justified by the pretext of tribal vendetta. In their statements, the councils also warned that the tragic fire at Kobani prison—which resulted in casualties—might be part of a suspicious plot aimed at undermining the integration process and dragging Syrians into the throes of internal conflict, even as the city remains in a state of cautious calm pending an official clarification revealing the details and circumstances of the disaster.
