Syria confirms ‘mass escape’ from ISIS-linked camp

A now-closed camp that housed thousands of people with suspected links to the Islamic State group in northeast Syria has witnessed “mass escape” in the weeks since government forces took control of it, with at least 133 breaches discovered, a Syrian official said Wednesday.

The escapes during clashes between Syrian forces and Kurdish fighters who controlled the camp have raised security concerns in a region where memories of ISIS running rampant for years remain fresh.

It was not immediately clear how many people in all have escaped from al-Hol camp since Syrian government forces captured it on Jan. 21. Most escaped in the clashes with the Kurdish-led and U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. The fighting stopped after a ceasefire was reached last month.

Read more: NBC News