US seizes only two British Isis prisoners in Syria, leaving others

Despite earlier briefings that 40 were taken, only ‘Beatles’ duo said to be under US control

Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor
Mon 14 Oct 2019 10.55 BST
Last modified on Mon 14 Oct 2019 12.04 BST

US forces in north-east Syria were able to seize only two British Islamic State prisoners, leaving behind a cluster of others despite previous briefings that about 40 had been forcibly taken from Kurdish custody.

Kurdish military guarding the prisoners – supposedly among the most dangerous of several thousand Isis fighters in the region – refused to allow US special forces to take individuals other than Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh.

The duo are members of the “Beatles” cell, a group of Britons accused of being behind the torture and beheading of some British and US hostages, incidents that were apparently filmed and broadcast on social media.

Initial briefings suggested the US had taken around 40 prisoners to Iraq, but officials told the New York Times overnight that only Kotey and Elsheikh had been seized because the plan had at least partially backfired. British officials indicated on Monday that they believed only the two men were under US control.

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