More than 800 Iraqis repatriated from notorious Syria camp
The latest batch of Iraqi nationals leaves Al-Hol camp in northeast Syria, bringing the total number of repatriates this year to over 10,000.
DAMASCUS: More than 800 Iraqi nationals departed from northeast Syria’s Al-Hol camp on Thursday, according to Jihan Hanan, the director of the Kurdish-administered facility.
This development marks the latest batch of individuals leaving the notorious camp, which holds suspected relatives of Daesh group fighters.
Since the beginning of the year, approximately 10,000 Iraqis have left Al-Hol in 11 separate groups.The Kurdish-run camps and prisons in Syria’s northeast currently hold tens of thousands of people, many of whom are accused or perceived to have links with the Islamic State (IS) group.
This situation persists more than six years after IS's territorial defeat in Syria.
Al-Hol is the largest camp in the region and its residents have been facing dire living conditions.Umm Mahmud, a 60-year-old Iraqi woman departing from the camp, expressed her relief and happiness, stating that she and others have suffered greatly both physically, psychologically, and financially during their time at Al-Hol.
She described the situation as akin to celebrating a holiday due to the positive change in circumstances for the children.As of now, the camp houses around 27,000 individuals, comprising approximately 15,000 Syrians, about 6,300 foreign women and children from 42 nationalities, and roughly 5,000 Iraqis.
While some Western countries have been hesitant to repatriate their nationals, Baghdad has taken a leading role in accelerating repatriations and encouraging others to follow suit.In February, Kurdish official Sheikhmous Ahmed announced the administration's goal of emptying camps in Syria’s northeast by the end of the year.
The aim is to remove thousands of displaced Syrians and Iraqi refugees, including suspected relatives of jihadists.
IS initially captured significant territories in both Syria and Iraq in 2014 before being territorially defeated in Syria in 2019.
Although it no longer holds territory, IS remains present in parts of Syria, particularly in the vast desert areas.
This development marks the latest batch of individuals leaving the notorious camp, which holds suspected relatives of Daesh group fighters.
Since the beginning of the year, approximately 10,000 Iraqis have left Al-Hol in 11 separate groups.The Kurdish-run camps and prisons in Syria’s northeast currently hold tens of thousands of people, many of whom are accused or perceived to have links with the Islamic State (IS) group.
This situation persists more than six years after IS's territorial defeat in Syria.
Al-Hol is the largest camp in the region and its residents have been facing dire living conditions.Umm Mahmud, a 60-year-old Iraqi woman departing from the camp, expressed her relief and happiness, stating that she and others have suffered greatly both physically, psychologically, and financially during their time at Al-Hol.
She described the situation as akin to celebrating a holiday due to the positive change in circumstances for the children.As of now, the camp houses around 27,000 individuals, comprising approximately 15,000 Syrians, about 6,300 foreign women and children from 42 nationalities, and roughly 5,000 Iraqis.
While some Western countries have been hesitant to repatriate their nationals, Baghdad has taken a leading role in accelerating repatriations and encouraging others to follow suit.In February, Kurdish official Sheikhmous Ahmed announced the administration's goal of emptying camps in Syria’s northeast by the end of the year.
The aim is to remove thousands of displaced Syrians and Iraqi refugees, including suspected relatives of jihadists.
IS initially captured significant territories in both Syria and Iraq in 2014 before being territorially defeated in Syria in 2019.
Although it no longer holds territory, IS remains present in parts of Syria, particularly in the vast desert areas.
