UN reports mass departure from facility holding families of militants; Damascus plans to move remaining residents to Aleppo following government takeover from SDF.
DAMASCUS – The population of Al-Hol camp, the sprawling Syrian detention center long synonymous with the humanitarian aftermath of the Islamic State group’s rule, has plummeted in recent weeks as the new government in Damascus moves to empty the facility and relocate the remaining families.
The development comes on the heels of a major security operation, with Syrian government forces capturing the camp from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Jan. 21. The takeover ended nearly a decade of SDF administration over the facility, which sits near the Iraqi border.
Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, the UNHCR representative in Syria, confirmed Sunday that the agency has observed a “significant decrease” in the number of residents at Al-Hol. He stated that Syrian authorities have informed the UN of their intention to move the remaining families to the Akhtarin camp in Aleppo Governorate.
“Syrian authorities have informed UNHCR of their plan to relocate the remaining families to Akhtarin camp in Aleppo Governorate… and have requested UNHCR’s support to assist the population in the new camp, which we stand ready to provide,” Vargas Llosa said.
The UNHCR did not specify how residents departed or how many remain, though it is believed many fled during the chaos of the recent military offensive. At its peak in 2019, following the territorial defeat of IS, Al-Hol held approximately 73,000 people. The population has since dwindled due to gradual repatriation efforts by various countries. The current residents are predominantly women and children, many of whom are wives, widows, or dependents of IS militants. Though not formally charged with crimes, they have been effectively held in de facto detention in the heavily guarded facility.
Mass Transfer of Militants to Iraq
In a parallel and significant security move, the US military confirmed Friday that it has completed the transfer of more than 5,700 adult male IS suspects from detention facilities in northeastern Syria to Iraqi custody.
Iraq’s National Center for International Judicial Cooperation reported that a total of 5,704 suspects from 61 countries—the majority being Syrian and Iraqi nationals—were handed over and are now being interrogated in Iraq to stand trial. The transfers were conducted under an agreement with the United States.
The emptying of Al-Hol and the large-scale transfer of militants mark a pivotal shift in the region’s post-conflict landscape, potentially resolving a long-standing security and humanitarian challenge while raising questions about the future of the displaced families.
