Kurdish Security Forces in Western Kurdistan Foil Mass Escape Attempt at al-Hol Camp
Kurdish security forces foil mass escape attempt by 56 ISIS-linked individuals at al-Hol camp in NE Syria. The group used a vehicle to try to break out but was intercepted at the gate. The camp houses 27,000, including foreign ISIS families.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Internal Security Forces (Asayish) in North and East Syria (Western Kurdistan), announced on Tuesday that their units thwarted a large-scale escape attempt from the heavily guarded al-Hol camp, south of Hasakah in the Jazira region (The Jazira region in northeast Syria is a region located in the east of the country, bounded by the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, and includes Qamishli, Hasakah, Derik and Tal Abyad).
In an official statement, the Asayish said that 56 individuals, all relatives of ISIS militants, tried to flee the camp using a large Hyundai Inter vehicle. Security patrols immediately pursued the vehicle and stopped it at the camp’s main gate before it could break through. All passengers were arrested on the spot and transferred to specialized security units for investigation.
The statement emphasized that security forces remain committed to protecting stability and preventing any breach that threatens the safety of the camp and surrounding areas.
Al-Hol remains the largest detention facility of its kind in North and East Syria, under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). According to camp director Jihan Hanan, as of late August it hosts approximately 27,000 people, including 15,000 Syrians, 5,000 Iraqis, and around 6,300 women and children of 42 foreign nationalities.
The majority of residents are family members of ISIS fighters, many of whom were captured in the final battles against the extremist group. Despite being under strict security, al-Hol has frequently witnessed riots, murders, and repeated escape attempts organized by ISIS cells.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) corroborated the incident, reporting that nearly 60 people, including women and children, were preparing to escape from the camp’s “migrant section.” According to its sources, the group had planned to depart using two vehicles before being intercepted by security forces.
The Observatory added that ISIS sleeper cells continue to provide financial and logistical support to detainees in al-Hol, especially in the migrant sector, to facilitate escape operations.
The foiled escape comes just days after the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the capture of 51 individuals linked to ISIS sleeper cells in Hasakah and its outskirts.
That operation, conducted jointly with the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) and backed by Asayish, also resulted in the seizure of weapons and ammunition. According to SDF commanders, the mission was launched to dismantle ISIS networks that had increasingly threatened civilian life, detention centers, and prisons holding thousands of ISIS members.
Intelligence provided by the SDF Military Operations Team (TOL) enabled precise targeting, ensuring that only ISIS militants and their affiliates were apprehended. The SDF underlined that protecting civilians remains its top priority in ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
Security experts say the attempted breakout at al-Hol underscores the continuing danger posed by ISIS remnants in Syria. Despite territorial defeat, the extremist group maintains active sleeper cells that exploit vulnerable detention conditions and funnel resources to orchestrate escapes.
Analysts warn that al-Hol, housing thousands of ISIS-linked families, remains a “ticking time bomb” unless a durable international solution is found for the prosecution, repatriation, or rehabilitation of detainees.
For now, the Asayish and SDF stress that their forces will continue to act decisively to safeguard the camp, the region, and the fragile security balance across North and East Syria.
