Syria evacuates final residents from ISIL-linked desert camp

Syrian Authorities Complete Evacuation of al-Hol Camp

The Syrian government has completed the evacuation and shutdown of the al-Hol camp in the northeastern Hasakah province. The last residents were removed from the facility on Sunday morning, according to Fadi al-Qassem, the official overseeing the camp.

Al-Hol had previously housed thousands of relatives of alleged members of the armed group ISIL (ISIS). At its peak in 2019, the camp held approximately 73,000 people. Last month, there were around 24,000 residents, comprising mostly Syrians but also Iraqis and individuals from over 40 nationalities.

The Syrian government took control of the camp from Kurdish authorities last month, as part of Damascus’s efforts to expand its reach in northeastern Syria. Since then, thousands of detainees, including family members of suspected ISIL members, have left for unknown destinations. Some were sent to the Akhtarin camp in Aleppo province, while others were repatriated to Iraq.

According to reports, some Syrian nationals left al-Hol for their hometowns, while many foreigners traveled west to government strongholds in Idlib or Aleppo governorates. The relocation of residents is expected to require support for their reintegration.

The future of the Roj camp in northeastern Syria, which also houses relatives of alleged ISIL members, remains uncertain. Most of its inhabitants are foreigners whose home countries have largely refused to receive them. In a recent incident, Syrian authorities turned back buses carrying 34 Australian women and children after they attempted to travel from the Roj camp to Damascus with plans to continue on to Australia.

Source: Al Jazeera