Trump claimed US was taking custody of 5 dozen ISIS prisoners — but troops didn’t get them in time

There was a concern that the Turkish attacks on the U.S. Kurdish allies would free dozens of ISIS fighters that were captured by those on the ground. According to the Kurds, once Turkey began dropping bombs on the area, there wouldn't be anyone who could stay to guard the prison.

The last thing the U.S. military or any allies wanted was for terrorists to be freed by Turkey's new war. But that's exactly what happened. According to the New York Times, approximately five dozen ISIS prisoners and about 700 family members and sympathizers of the Islamic State fighters "escaped a Kurdish-run camp in northern Syria as Turkish-led assault unleashes chaos."

A Special Forces soldier told Fox News this week that despite knowing the U.S. was supposed to be pulling out and Turkey was on its way to bomb them, the Kurdish people stayed as long as they could to ensure someone was guarding ISIS prisoners.

"They prevented a prison break last night without us," the soldier said Wednesday. "They are not abandoning our side (yet)."

He warned Wednesday that the ISIS fighters would likely be free in the coming days or weeks. It took just four days for ISIS to be free again and back on the battlefield.

By Sunday, those prisoners and supporters went unguarded as Kurds fled for their lives.

"[Trump] doesn't understand the problem. He doesn't understand the repercussions of this. Erdogan is an Islamist, not a level-headed actor," the soldier said. "This is not helping the ISIS fight."

Indeed, these ISIS fighters could easily head to Europe and even fly to the United States.

"ISIS has already claimed responsibility for at least two attacks since the start of the invasion, including one car bomb in a border city, Qamishli, and another on an international military base outside Hasaka, a regional capital further to the south," The Times noted.

Read the full story at The New York Times.