Kurdish-led forces release hundreds of IS prisoners in 'gesture of goodwill'

Hundreds of prisoners suspected of being members of the Islamic State (IS) group were released by US-backed Kurdish forces in eastern Syria, as fighting continues against IS militants.

In a statement released on Monday, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said it released at least 283 Syrians suspected of having ties to IS.

Under the banner of  "cooperation, fraternity and clemency", the SDF said it decided to release the IS prisoners following negotiations with tribal leaders who had fought against IS militants. 

The group added that the prisoners it released had not been directly involved in the fighting, but potentially held positions in the IS bureaucracy. 

SDF spokespeople did not respond to requests to comment at the time of publication. 

This latest move comes as fighting continues to take place between SDF forces, flanked by fighter jets from the US-led coalition, and IS militants in eastern Syria. 

'Human shields'

A military source on Monday told Reuters that hundreds of IS fighters had surrendered themselves to SDF forces after intense fighting over their last shred of territory in Baghouz, situated in Deir Ezzor. 

The SDF also evacuated scores of civilians being used by IS as "human shields", after taking control of territory held by the group's militants in eastern Syria.  

"More than 800 people exited Baghouz from yesterday until today - IS family members and fighters who surrendered," an SDF spokeswoman told Reuters. 

The push on IS's last pocket of territory had resumed on Friday after days of mass evacuations, but SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said on Monday that the operation was hampered by the presence of more civilians in the besieged enclave.

"We're slowing down the offensive in Baghouz due to a small number of civilians held as human shields," he said.

Three air strikes hit the village of Baghouz earlier in the day, causing a huge cloud of grey and black smoke to billow up into the sky.

On Sunday, the SDF faced landmines, car bombs, tunnel ambushes and suicide attacks as they attempted to overrun the enclave - tactics the militant group has honed through its hard-fought retreat.