Situation in Syria’s al-Hol camp calm after SDF completes security operation

Counter-terrorism HAT units of the SDF in northeastern Syria. (Photo: SDF Coordination and Military Operations Center)
Counter-terrorism HAT units of the SDF in northeastern Syria. (Photo: SDF Coordination and Military Operations Center)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The situation in northeast Syria’s al-Hol camp is relatively calm following an extensive operation against ISIS cells by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and its allied Asayish security and HAT counter-terrorism forces, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) war monitor reported on Sunday.

Citing reliable sources, SOHR reported, “a partial and relative calm has prevailed in Al-Hawl (al-Hol) camp, east of Al-Hasakah city.”

During those operations, the Kurdish-led forces arrested at least 46 people in their crackdown against ISIS cells. They also imposed a complete curfew on the camp and the eponymous town.

Read More: SDF arrests more than 46 people in Syria’s al-Hol camp

Kurdish security forces and the civilian Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) have repeatedly warned in recent weeks that ISIS was plotting an operation against the camp, similar to its well-organized coordinated attack on Hasakah’s al-Sina’a prison in January.

At least 56,000 people live in al-Hol camp. The majority of them are Syrians and Iraqis. However, a substantive minority of foreign nationals also live there, along with several ISIS members and sympathizers.