Prison Riot in Kurdish-Majority Syria Town Kills at Least Seven

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Kobani: A prison riot and fire in Kobani, a primarily Kurdish town in northern Syria, killed at least seven people on Saturday, according to Syrian official media.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the rioting began when inmates protested preparations to move certain detainees to Aleppo. Despite the recent arrival of Syrian government soldiers in the town, Kurdish rebels continue to control the prison.

The incident occurred amid rising tensions in Kobani following the killing of a former Kurdish fighter, Sami Shekhmous Hiso, which sparked protests and skirmishes between Kurdish citizens and security forces. A curfew was enforced in the town as officials tried to contain the chaos.

As Syria attempts to bring down the once independent Kurdish-controlled northeast to central government authority, the violence highlights ongoing tensions between Kurdish troops and the Damascus administration.