The Syrian Arab Army took control of Al-Shaddadi city and its prison between 4:46 PM and 5:15 PM UTC on January 19, 2026, and began security operations to comb the area for ISIS prisoners released by the Syrian Democratic Forces, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). SANA shared scenes from inside Al-Shaddadi depicting the army's control over the city and prison during this 29-minute period, following the SDF's release of ISIS members. This follows the army's imposition of a curfew in Al-Shaddadi earlier between 4:16 PM and 4:45 PM UTC, as announced in a circular from the army's Operations Authority reported by SANA. A large military convoy of the Syrian army moved towards Al-Hasakah during the reporting window, according to a post on X by bashaer165. These developments build on the army's prior entry into Al-Shaddadi after YPG forces released ISIS members from the prison and fled, per previous reports from sources including BarracudaVol1 on X.
