First official Damascus visit to al-Hol camp: Repatriation on agenda
Shafaq News/ A senior Syrian government delegation, joined by officials from the US-led Global Coalition, visited al-Hol camp in eastern al-Hasakah province on Saturday to assess conditions and discuss options for the return of displaced Syrians.
A camp official told Shafaq News the delegation included senior figures from Syria's Interior and Foreign Ministries, as well as intelligence and counterterrorism units, marking the first formal visit by Damascus officials to a displacement camp under SDF control.
The visit, reportedly included a closed-door meeting with representatives from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and Coalition envoys, focused on expediting the repatriation process to ease pressure on the camp and gradually reduce its population.
Additional talks are expected to address reintegration plans and long-term support for returnees.
Al-Hol currently houses more than 35,000 people, including approximately 13,000 Iraqi refugees, 16,000 displaced Syrians, and over 6,000 foreign nationals—mostly women and children connected to ISIS fighters.
While AANES launched a voluntary return initiative for Syrian families earlier this year, citing improved security and lower risks of reprisal, it pledged assistance for those choosing to leave.
Since 2021, Iraq, backed by international partners, has repatriated thousands of its citizens from the camp. Returnees are processed through the al-Jadaa rehabilitation center near Mosul, though the program still faces public resistance due to trauma linked to ISIS's former rule.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq backs worker rights at global labor summit
Shafaq News/ Iraq's Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Ahmed al-Asadi, met with his Turkish counterpart, Vedat Isıkhan on Tuesday in Geneva during the 113th session of the . The meeting, held at the United Nations headquarters, was part of Iraq's broader efforts to strengthen its labor legislation in line with international standards. Al-Asadi led Iraq's tripartite delegation, which included representatives of government, employers, and workers. During the conference, the Iraqi delegation participated in discussions on global labor issues such as biological risk protection, regulating digital platform work, and integrating the informal economy. Al-Asadi stressed Iraq's commitment to updating national labor laws to meet international conventions, with a focus on occupational health, social protection, and workers' rights. He also confirmed Iraq's plans to submit outstanding reports on core labor conventions by September, covering areas such as forced labor, child labor, workplace safety, and maritime labor protections. 113. Uluslararası Çalışma Konferansı kapsamında Irak Çalışma ve Sosyal İşler Bakanı Sayın Ahmed Jassem Saber Al-Asadi ile gerçekleştirdiğimiz ikili görüşmede, iki ülke arasında istihdam ve sosyal güvenlik alanlarında iş birliğini kurumsallaştırmayı sağlayacak adımları… — Prof. Dr. Vedat Işıkhan (@isikhanvedat) June 3, 2025
Iraq Business
5 hours ago
- Iraq Business
Japan Reaffirms $21bn Commitment to Iraq, Signs Coop Agreement
By John Lee. Japan's Ambassador to Iraq, Akira Endo, has reportedly reaffirmed his country's support for Iraq, announcing over $21 billion in economic cooperation projects since 2003. Speaking at the signing ceremony of a new agreement between the Iraq Development Fund and the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME), he emphasized Japan's ongoing commitment to improving Iraq's investment climate and attracting foreign companies. According to the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA), the ambassador noted that Japan has been the top donor to Iraq in recent years, primarily via yen loans supporting infrastructure in electricity, water, sanitation, and oil. He highlighted the role of JCCME over the past decade in bridging Japanese companies with opportunities in Iraq through business seminars, sector-focused delegations, and training for Iraqi officials in Japan. He added that the six priority sectors identified by the Iraq Development Fund-education, agriculture, housing, digital transformation, manufacturing and food security, and environment-are aligned with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani's government priorities and match areas of Japanese expertise. (Source: INA)
Shafaq News
5 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Kurdish politician warns of political fallout over Baghdad salary freeze
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Senior Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Hoshyar Zebari criticized the federal government's decision to halt funding for salaries of public employees in Iraq's Kurdistan region, calling it a form of 'collective punishment' that would have 'political consequences.' On X, Zebari described the move as an attempt by the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and the Coordination Framework to 'starve citizens under financial and administrative pretexts.' He added, 'We are not living in an ideal city; history shows the aggressor will be held accountable.' Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad have escalated over the decision by Iraq's federal finance ministry to freeze May 2025 salary transfers to the Region. Baghdad cited the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)'s alleged failure to hand over oil and non-oil revenues as mandated in the federal budget. The KRG responded by accusing Baghdad of shirking its obligations and described the decision as politically motivated, affecting more than 1.2 million Regional employees. The US State Department also weighed in, urging a swift and constructive resolution to the payment dispute. In a statement to Shafaq News, a department official said, 'Resolving the payments issue quickly would send a message that Iraq prioritizes its people and create an environment more attractive to investment.' The official added that it could also pave the way for reopening the Iraq-Turkiye pipeline.
