Syria’s Kurdish-led administration has announced plans to empty camps in the northeast of displaced Syrians and Iraqis by the end of 2025, including those with suspected links to Daesh. Sheikhmous Ahmed, an official in the Kurdish administration, confirmed that efforts are underway to coordinate with the United Nations to facilitate the return of displaced individuals from camps like Al-Hol, where over 56,000 people currently reside.
Many of the camp residents, who have been living in dire conditions for years, are relatives of former Daesh fighters. Al-Hol, the largest of these camps, houses over 40,000 people, including thousands of Iraqis and Syrians. Despite efforts by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the US, to drive out Daesh fighters from Syrian territory, some foreign nationals remain stranded in the camps due to a lack of repatriation agreements.
According to the Kurdish administration, voluntary returns have already begun, with over 12,000 Iraqis leaving Al-Hol since 2021, but the situation for Syrians is still under consideration. The Kurdish authorities have clarified that this repatriation effort is separate from the recent cuts in US aid to the region and is instead part of the broader efforts to rebuild Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. However, international organizations such as Human Rights Watch have raised concerns that aid suspensions may worsen the living conditions in these overcrowded camps.
While some countries have repatriated their nationals from Al-Hol, the issue of foreign fighters and their families remains an international challenge, with many nations yet to act on the repatriation of their citizens. The Kurdish administration continues to work with the UN and other organizations to ensure the safety and dignity of those affected by this crisis.