Iraq repatriates over 450 new families from Syria’s Al-Hol camp

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – On Monday the Iraqi immigration authorities repatriated more than 450 Iraqi families from Syria’s Al-Hol Camp.

Located in Syria’s northeastern province of Hasakah, the camp houses more than 70,000 people. The residents are allegedly affiliated with ISIS, whose territorial defeat was announced in 2019. Al-Hol is run by Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The 453 Iraqi families were relocated to Iraq’s Al-Jad’ah Camp in Nineveh Governorate, Karim Al-Nouri, the deputy minister for the country’s immigration and displacement authority, told state-run, Al-Iraqiya News on Monday.

According to the Iraqi official, the families have gone through thorough security checks and have proved that they were not affiliated with ISIS.

Out of the 30,000 Iraqis living in the Syrian camp, 20,000 are children, according to Al-Nouri. He also said Iraq’s repatriation efforts have reaped international praise.

In her speech at the United Nations Security Council last month, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative for the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq, commended the country’s efforts, saying Iraq is a leading example in this endeavor. 

Iraq has formed a committee along with its international partners to undertake this task, he added.

Besides Iraqis, there are a number of other foreign citizens that live in the camps, including Europeans, whose countries refuse to repatriate them.

The UN has voiced concerns about radicalization in the camp, due to the presence of the terror group’s sympathizers.