"They Never gone"

The world has moved on, but the war in Syria has not, and the cycle of violence never ends. On January 2022, a staggering ISIS attack on Ghwaryan prison in the northeastern Syrian town of Al Hasakah revealed the enduring strength of the group. It triggered the most prolonged and deadliest battle with ISIS since its so-called caliphate in Syria and Iraq was defeated nearly three years ago. The battle spilled into the surrounding streets. Residents were terrified among a path of destruction and a river of dead fighters ‘bodies on the floor. The attack, officials believe, was to break free ISIS leaders who were imprisoned there among more than 3,000 suspected militants.mAfter a 10-day battle with airstrikes and Special Forces on the ground, nearly 400 prisoners and attackers were dead, 120 SDF members were killed, and at least five of the prison staff were killed. Syria has been devastated by a bloody civil war for over 12 years. "They Never Gone" is part of a photo essay commissioned by The New York Times in 2022.