https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/134efbe2-57b4-426d-ab82-cf4988d71392 Syrian forces have released dozens of children from the SDF run al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa after taking control of the facility, with footage showing malnourished boys running out of the gates and sprinting towards freedom. The children described being starved, placed in solitary confinement, doused with water, whipped and electrocuted, with one 15 year old sentenced to seven years in prison and a 9 year old also seen in the footage. The SDF was previously known as the YPG, which rebranded as the Syrian Democratic Forces under a US strategy amid scrutiny over its conduct and links to terrorism. The controversial group is widely regarded as the Syrian arm of the PKK, a group designated as terrorists by the US, UK, EU and Turkey. It consists predominantly of Kurdish and Armenian fighters, and has long been aligned with US and Israeli interests in Syria, including controlling oil rich regions in the country’s northeast. The US has now largely ended its backing of the SDF as its role in Syria is said to have “largely expired” and Washington shifts support toward Damascus under a new ceasefire and integration framework with the Syrian government. Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Catch previous episodes of MEE LIVE, our biweekly news programme exploring the stories shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis, and hard-hitting interviews. Originally airing Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12pm ET | 5pm BST Got a story tip or question? Reach us at MEELive@middleeasteye.org Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:38:43 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://tankie.tube https://tankie.tube/lazy-static/avatars/3ba3ff73-a8b6-49c9-add8-9653ef090c7f.webp https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/134efbe2-57b4-426d-ab82-cf4988d71392 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://tankie.tube/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.