Plans are underway to return Syrian residents of al-Hol (al-Hawl) camp to their homes. The historic news was announced in a joint statement by the Social Affairs and Labour Body of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), along with the Office of Displaced Persons and Refugee Affairs on 23 January.
Al-Hol camp is situated in territories controlled by the AANES and is home to almost 40,000 ISIS-affiliated families and displaced persons. ISIS sleeper cells and operatives are still active in the camp. What to do with the camp’s residents has been top of the security and humanitarian agenda of the AANES since the territorial defeat of ISIS in 2019. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) regularly mount anti-ISIS operations inside the camp, with the help of the US-led international coalition
Today’s announcement does not refer to the ISIS-affiliated families in al-Hol, but the people housed in the camp who have been displaced from other parts of Syria since the beginning of the civil war.
According to the US-led Coalition, over 700 al-Hol residents have also been repatriated to Iraq this month.
Speaking in English and Arabic, Sheikhmous Ahmed and Maryam Ibrahim read out the statement. They highlighted that the plans were only possible because of the “new phase” underway in Syria since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December last year.
“Today, as the country enters a new phase, we announce that Syrian citizens residing in al-Hol Camp are now given the opportunity to voluntarily return to their original places of residence.”
“With the fall of the regime, there is no longer a reason for fear or for staying in the camp. We will provide all necessary facilities and arrange transportation for families wishing to return,” Ahmed and Ibrahim continued.
Ahmed and Ibrahim called for international support and guarantees in facilitating the returns of al-Hol residents to the areas controlled by Turkish backed groups, in particular, Tel Abyad (Girê Spî), Ras al-Ayn (Serekaniyê) and Afrin (Efrîn). They called for United Nations-backed guarantees to ensure the safety of the returning residents of those areas.
The statement also called for support from the UN for the residents of Al-Areesha, Mahmoudli, Twaihineh, and Abu Khashab camps, which house people from other parts of Syria who have been displaced into AANES territory.
“We in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria remain committed to our humanitarian and ethical responsibilities regarding displaced persons and refugees. We reaffirm the right to voluntary and safe return with international and UN guarantees, ensuring the necessary protection for them,” the statement concluded.
