Al-Hol camp in Syria’s northeastern Hasakah province has witnessed major changes following the withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces SDF and the handover of the facility to Syrian security forces. According to humanitarian sources and witnesses cited by AFP, most ISIS foreign families have left Al-Hol camp in recent weeks.
The camp had long been one of the largest detention sites for families of ISIS members, housing thousands of women and children of various nationalities alongside Syrian and Iraqi residents.
These developments come amid new security and administrative arrangements in northeastern Syria, after an agreement between the Syrian government and the SDF on the gradual integration of military and administrative structures in Hasakah province.
Al-Hol Camp Population Before the Departures
Before the recent departures, Al-Hol camp hosted around 24,000 people, according to humanitarian sources. The population included:
Approximately 15,000 Syrians
More than 2,200 Iraqis
Around 6,300 foreign women and children from 42 nationalities
Most of the foreign nationals’ home countries had refused to repatriate them, leaving the camp as a long standing humanitarian and security challenge.
A humanitarian source told AFP that the foreign nationals’ section is now almost empty following the SDF withdrawal in late January and the takeover by Syrian security forces.
Reports of Transfers to Idlib and Other Areas
Another humanitarian source said that since last Saturday, only about 20 families remain in the so called Muhajirat section, which had been heavily secured and housed many women and children from Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.
The source added that a large number were smuggled to Idlib and other provinces, while a small number moved into sections designated for Syrians inside the camp.
An aid worker in Syria told AFP that it is clear many people, including foreigners, have left the camp, but no official statistics are yet available.
Witnesses reported that the camp’s market area, once crowded, now appears largely empty. One witness said armed men were seen escorting veiled women out of the camp shortly after the SDF withdrew and government forces took control.
Position of Syrian Authorities
A source in the camp administration affiliated with Syria’s Interior Ministry told AFP that authorities are still counting the remaining residents and did not confirm any mass escape.
The source indicated that any security gaps, if confirmed, would be linked to the SDF withdrawal before the full completion of the handover process.
Government forces had expanded their deployment in northern and eastern Syria under a January agreement providing for the gradual integration of military and administrative bodies in Hasakah.
Movements to Lebanon and Iraqi Repatriation Plans
In Lebanon, a man told AFP that four members of his family who had been held in Al-Hol camp for years have now arrived in Lebanon with other families of Lebanese fighters who initially joined armed groups in Syria and later pledged allegiance to ISIS.
He said they were able to leave after government forces turned a blind eye to their departure, adding that all Lebanese families, except those still in Roj camp, are now in Lebanon.
In Iraq, a security source said Baghdad had planned to evacuate the final group of Iraqi nationals from Al-Hol camp this month. However, the operation was delayed after Syrian government forces advanced in the area in January and assumed control of the camp.
Iraq is coordinating with the US led international coalition to repatriate a final batch of between 300 and 350 Iraqi families, although it remains unclear whether other families will remain.
Transfer of ISIS Detainees to Iraq
Alongside developments at Al-Hol camp, the United States announced it had begun transferring thousands of ISIS detainees from facilities previously run by the SDF to Iraq.
According to an Iraqi security official cited by AFP, 5,046 ISIS members were transferred from Syria to Iraq over the past three weeks. Most are Syrians, in addition to hundreds of foreign nationals.
The SDF continues to control Roj camp near the Turkish border, which houses around 2,328 relatives of ISIS members, most of them foreigners.
Separately, Syria’s Defense Ministry announced that the Syrian army has taken control of the al-Tanf base near the borders with Iraq and Jordan, following the withdrawal of US forces previously deployed there as part of the international coalition against ISIS.
Conclusion:
The situation at Al-Hol camp reflects a significant shift in control and population, with most ISIS foreign families reportedly departing and new security arrangements taking shape. As authorities continue to assess the numbers, the security and humanitarian implications remain under close observation in Syria, Iraq, and neighboring countries.
