Roundup: Dozens of families leave notorious camp in NE Syria

The Star

8 hours ago

AL-HOL CAMP, Syria, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of displaced Syrian families departed the notorious al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria on Sunday, in a humanitarian transfer coordinated between the Kurdish-led autonomous administration and Syria's interim government, a coordinator confirmed.
The convoy, consisting of 43 families, nearly 190 people, left the camp and traveled to the interim government-held areas in Aleppo province, according to Manal Haj Ali, a coordinator from the Syrian Center for Dialogue and Studies, an independent, non-profit civil society organization that works to publish research and studies related to Syrian affairs.
"This evacuation is for humanitarian and medical cases that cannot be treated in the camp or surrounding areas," Haj Ali told Xinhua. "Coordination began in December 2024, when the autonomous administration announced it would open the door for families and urgent cases to leave. Now that coordination with Damascus has resulted in this transfer," she said.
Located roughly 13 kilometers from the Iraqi border, al-Hol is one of the most overcrowded and controversial displacement camps in the region.
An earlier report by the International Committee of the Red Cross estimated that the camp once held over 55,000 people.
According to Manal Haj Ali, as of early 2025, the population had declined to around 40,000, including nearly 16,000 Syrians. Women and children made up around 90 percent of the camp's residents, representing over 60 nationalities. Iraqis constituted the largest group.
Many of those residing in the camp are believed to be family members of former Islamic State (IS) fighters, contributing to the camp's infamy and heightened security concerns.
The journey from al-Hol to Aleppo is part of a broader, phased process. On May 31, a separate group of IS-linked families was repatriated to Iraq, part of the ongoing effort to reduce the camp's population and ease humanitarian strain.
International concern has grown in recent years over the camp's dire living conditions, recurring security incidents, and the prolonged detention of women and children with limited access to essential services.
Earlier this year, U.S. foreign aid programs, including those supporting operations at al-Hol, were suspended following a global freeze in American assistance funding under the Trump administration, further complicating relief efforts.
The latest transfer aims to reduce pressure on the facility and promote the reintegration of displaced families not linked to IS. Syrian families in this week's convoy had long awaited clearance, citing medical needs, poverty, and a desire to rebuild their lives.
For many, returning to Aleppo offers a sliver of hope.
"We hope to return to our homes and land," said a woman traveling with the convoy. "We've lived for years in tents, under the sun and cold. We're just waiting for the world to open its arms to us," she added, declining to provide her name.
Another woman, recalling her rushed departure from war-torn Aleppo years ago, said: "We left everything, our belongings, our official papers. We miss the smell of our homes. We just want to return in safety and peace."
"There are still many hesitant to leave," said a third woman, "but we all hope the situation will calm down so that everyone can go back. People here are still clinging to that dream."