ISIS families escape Syria's SDF-controlled camps: Kurds

Families of Islamic State (ISIS) group members escaped a displacement camp in rrn Syria where a Turkish offensive against Kurdish forces has sparked fierce fighting, Kurdish authorities said Sunday.

" brutal military assault led by Turkey and its mercenaries is w taking place near a camp in Ain Issa, where re are thousands (of people) from families of ISIS," Kurdish ministration said in a statement. "Some were able to escape after bombardments that targeted" camp, statement ded. "More than 100 people, women, and children," fled camp in Ain Issa, a camp official told AFP, requesting anymity.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor confirmed that "around 100" foreign women and children from families of ISIS members escaped, without specifying ir nationalities. Turkey launched its offensive on Wednesday to push Kurdish-led forces away from rastern border area of war-torn Syria. Kurdish authorities have repeated warnings that fighting could facilitate an ISIS resurgence, saying security instability could allow ISIS to free thousands of jihists and ir families held in prisons and displacement camps in Kurdish-held territory.

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Some 12,000 ISIS fighters -- Syrians, Iraqis as well as foreigners from 54 countries -- are detained in Kurdish prisons, according to ir official statistics. displacement camps host some 12,000 foreigners -- 8,000 children and 4,000 women.

Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who control territory in rrn Syria, were main partner on ground in US-led campaign against ISIS. US President Donald Trump has been accused of abandoning a loyal ally and giving Turkey a green light to launch long-threatened offensive after ordering American troops to pull back from border.

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Pakistan backs Turkey

While most world powers, including Russia, US, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and or countries from Middle East and Europe have censured Turkey's military aggression in rth-east Syria, Islamab has backed Ankara over ir 'incursion.'

Pakistan PM Imran Khan held a telephonic conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to extend his solidarity and support for Turkey. According to reports of Dawn, Pakistan said that it 'fully understand's' Turkey's concerns of terrorism. Pakistan's Prime Minister said, "As a country which has lost more than 70,000 lives due to terrorism and borne burden of more than 3 million refugees for deces, Pakistan is fully cognisant of threats and challenges being faced by Turkey having lost 40,000 of its people to terrorism."

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(With AP inputs)