Former IS fighters say they paid way out of Kurdish jail in ‘reconciliation’ scheme

Former ISIS fighters have claimed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are charging $8,000 per person to free militants from prisons under a so-called ‘reconciliation’ scheme.

According to a report in the UK’s Guardian newspaper, former ISIS fighters, who fought for the militant group until it was defeated in 2019, secured their freedom from the Syrian al-Hawl prison facility through the scheme.

One individual, Abu Jafar, who claims he was released after his family sold some property, stated he paid $8,000 as a fine, as well as a further $22,000 in bribes to SDF officials. Similarly, Abu Muhammad, who says he fought alongside ISIS on the frontline, said he had paid the $8,000 figure and $14,000 in bribes.