Deadly ISIS prison break attempt fuels fears of the group's resurgence

At least seven fighters from the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces were killed when ISIS attempted to break thousands of its fighters out of a Syrian prison on Thursday, an attack underlining concerns the terror group could be quietly resurging.

The assault on the Ghweran prison, located in the northeastern city of Hasakah began Thursday when a car bomb exploded outside the facility, according to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Kurdish-led SDF is the dominant military force in the region and a key US partner in the fight against ISIS.

ISIS fighters then snuck into the area and struck local forces guarding the prison, while the militants inside burned blankets and plastic items inside dormitories "in an attempt to create chaos," the SDF said. It is not clear if the actions were coordinated or if the inmates simply saw an opportunity to sow confusion at an opportune moment.