At least seven killed in fire at prison in northern Syria
At least seven prisoners died and others were hurt after a fire broke out during a jail riot in Kobane, a predominantly Kurdish town in northern Syria. State media and monitoring groups say the disturbance followed protests over the killing of former Kurdish fighter Sami Sheikhmous Hiso and unrest inside the detention facility.
Why It Matters
The incident underlines continuing tensions between Kurdish authorities and the central government during Syria’s post-Assad transition and raises questions about security, custody arrangements and the integration of Kurdish institutions into state control.
Key Facts
- Location: Kobane, northern Syria
- Deaths: At least seven inmates
- Injuries: Dozens reported burned or suffocated (state TV)
- Reported cause of unrest: Riot by inmates following local protests over the killing of Sami Sheikhmous Hiso (state media/SOHR)
- Victim named: Sami Sheikhmous Hiso (former Kurdish fighter)
A fire at a prison in Kobane has left at least seven inmates dead and multiple others injured after a riot inside the facility, Syrian state media reported. Authorities and local outlets said the blaze erupted amid unrest linked to protests in the town, though the precise origin of the fire has not been officially established.
State television said dozens suffered burns or were overcome by smoke during the disturbance. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported the jail riot began after officials decided to move some detainees to another prison in Aleppo. Kurdish news outlet Rudaw said some of those held at the time had been arrested in demonstrations that turned violent following the return of Sami Sheikhmous Hiso’s body.
Hiso, a former Kurdish fighter, was reportedly kidnapped and his body was returned to Kobane on Thursday; AFP cited sources saying his remains showed gunshot wounds. The protests over his death on Friday preceded the unrest at the prison, according to multiple local reports.
The events come amid a fragile national transition following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. In January, Damascus and Kurdish representatives reached an integration agreement bringing some Kurdish civilian and military bodies into the Syrian state, but the Kobane prison remains under Kurdish administration and has not been transferred to central government control. Presidential adviser Mazloum Abdi, who recently announced the dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces and was appointed adviser last month, arrived in Kobane on Saturday to meet senior officials, local media reported.
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