UPDATE - US Failed To Evacuate About 50 'High-Value' IS Detainees From Syrian Kurds' Jails -Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th October, 2019) The US forces failed to evacuate around 50 "high-value" Islamic State (IS or ISIS, outlawed in Russia) detainees from the Kurdish jails in northeastern Syria amid the ongoing Turkish military operation in the area, US media reported.

Last week, US President Donald Trump said that the United States had moved several dangerous IS terrorist fighters from prisons in northern Syria.

According to The New York Times newspaper, the United States started to plan an operation, aimed at evacuating the IS detainees, in December when the US president announced his intention to withdraw forces from northern Syria.

The media outlet reported on Sunday that, in fact, the US managed to evacuate only two UK citizens, dubbed the Beatles, who had allegedly been involved in gruesome beheadings of Western hostages.

The Kurds reportedly refused to let the US relocate other important IS detainees. According to The New York Times' sources, it would be impossible for the United States to evacuate them now because of the Turkish operation even if the Kurdish units provided Washington with such an opportunity.

Trump called on Sunday on both Turkey and the Syrian Kurds to prevent the IS detainees from escaping from the prisons in the conflict-hit area.

"The U.S. has the worst of the ISIS prisoners. Turkey and the Kurds must not let them escape. Europe should have taken them back after numerous requests. They should do it now. They will never come to, or be allowed in, the United States!" Trump wrote on his Twitter page.

On Friday, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said that five IS militants had escaped from a prison in northeastern Syria after it had been targeted by the Turkish forces.

Turkey launched the Operation Peace Spring on Wednesday, saying the military action aimed to create a safe zone near the Syrian-Turkish border. The territory on the Syrian side of the border is currently controlled by the Kurdish-led SDF, which Ankara regards as affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (banned in Turkey).

The Syrian government has condemned the Turkish offensive in northern Syria as an act of aggression, while Russia, as well as a number of Arab and Western nations, including the United States, voiced concern over the developments.