“If they say these people must be tried here, then give us the means to organise a tribunal,” Jihan Khalil, co-responsible for the al-Hol (al-Hawl) camp, told L’Humanité, highlighting the growing frustration over the fate of foreign ISIS detainees. As Kobani (Kobanê) marks the 10th anniversary of its liberation from the Islamic State (ISIS), the city grapples with new threats—this time from Turkish military drones.
On 26 January 2015, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), supported by the Global Coalition to Defeat Da’esh (ISIS) including France, reclaimed Kobani from ISIS after months of fierce fighting. The iconic images of Kurdish women fighters from the YPJ inspired global admiration, symbolising resistance against terror. However, a decade later, Kobani is again under attack, not from ISIS but from Turkish drone strikes that continue with apparent impunity.
“The Turkish attacks complicate the management of the camp, which is already targeted by ISIS cells trying to free their supporters,” Khalil said, referring to al-Hol camp near Kobani. The camp houses around 39,000 people, including former ISIS affiliates and refugees fleeing the terror group, creating a volatile mix of security threats.
French journalist Cemil Şanlı, who recently visited al-Hol, reported that approximately 200 French nationals remain detained, many of whom fought alongside ISIS. “According to France’s foreign ministry, these individuals should be tried as close as possible to where they committed their crimes. This has been France’s consistent stance,” Şanlı noted.
This position, however, clashes with the reality on the ground. “We have repeatedly asked for international support to set up a tribunal here, but no one has backed us,” Khalil lamented. The lack of judicial infrastructure leaves detainees in legal limbo, while the burden of managing them falls on the overstretched Kurdish administration, itself under constant threat from Turkish military operations.
Şanlı’s report followed his intervention at a press conference with French Foreign Minister Christophe Lemoine, where he pressed for clarity on France’s stance regarding its commercial and military ally, Turkey, and its aggression against the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). Despite France’s stated support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)—currently defending AANES—Şanlı sought to assess whether the French government’s position aligned with its commitments. Despite the insistent questioning of Şanlı, Lemoine refrained from answering directly, insisting on a vague sense of hope for de-escalation and inclusivity during this transitory period in Syria.
Scottish volunteer reporter J. Keasden, speaking from the Tishreen (Tişrîn) Dam area, described the devastating impact of the Turkish strikes: “Behind me now, you should be able to see the wreckages that we passed yesterday as well, where the drones have dropped in the last 25 days, just over three weeks—people carriers, family cars, ambulances.”
Keasden highlighted the broader consequences of the attacks: “Looking down now across the dam, as you can see, it’s the most crazy massive bit of infrastructure and it’s completely out of service now because of the ongoing situation.” The damage extends far beyond the immediate vicinity. “People are really struggling, not just here. People come here to make their voices heard, but this is impacting hundreds of miles away—families, kids, schools—you name it, because all of this just isn’t doing its job,” Keasden added.
As Kobani commemorates its liberation, the contrast between past victories and current vulnerabilities is stark. The city mourns its war dead while facing ongoing violence, and the international community’s silence on Turkey’s actions raises questions about justice, accountability, and forgotten alliances.
