Iraq repatriates 152 Iraqi families from Syria's al-Hol camp

"This is the first major repatriation by the Iraqi government since January."

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/06/02 19:27

Women look after children at the sprawling al-Hol displacement camp in northeastern Syria, Oct. 17, 2019 (AFP/Delil Souleiman)

Iraq Al-Hol Camp UNAMI Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert SDF Jaada Camp Rehabilitation Repatriation

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi authorities repatriated more than 152 Iraqi families from northeast Syria's notorious al-Hol Camp on Wednesday.

Furthermore, 50 male ISIS suspects were handed over to the Iraqi government by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

On Wednesday, the Syria-based Rojava Information Centre (RIC) reported that 152 Iraqi families, including 690 people, "were repatriated from al-Hol camp to Ja'ada Camp."

"This is the first major repatriation by the Iraqi government since January and the 5th overall. 2,451 Iraqis have been returned so far; 28,738 Iraqis remain in the camp," RIC noted.

Iraqi Security Media Cell on Wednesday also said that they received 50 members of "ISIS terrorist gangs" through the Rabia border crossing from the SDF.

According to data from the UN, al-Hol is the largest camp for refugees and internally displaced people in Syria, hosting about 56,000 people.

The majority of al-Hol's residents are Iraqis and Syrians. However, the camp also houses many foreign families thought to have ISIS links.

In March, the Iraqi National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji warned that the children of ISIS militants in Syria's notorious al-Hol camp pose a "real threat" if the situation there doesn't change.

And in April, the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission Iraq (UNAMI) Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert welcomed Iraq's decision to resume voluntary returns from Syria's al-Hol camp in early 2021.