
First official Damascus visit to al-Hol camp: Repatriation on agenda
A camp official told Shafaq News the delegation included senior figures from Syria's Interior and Foreign Ministries, as well as intelligence and counterterrorism units, marking the first formal visit by Damascus officials to a displacement camp under SDF control.
The visit, reportedly included a closed-door meeting with representatives from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and Coalition envoys, focused on expediting the repatriation process to ease pressure on the camp and gradually reduce its population.
Additional talks are expected to address reintegration plans and long-term support for returnees.
Al-Hol currently houses more than 35,000 people, including approximately 13,000 Iraqi refugees, 16,000 displaced Syrians, and over 6,000 foreign nationals—mostly women and children connected to ISIS fighters.
While AANES launched a voluntary return initiative for Syrian families earlier this year, citing improved security and lower risks of reprisal, it pledged assistance for those choosing to leave.
Since 2021, Iraq, backed by international partners, has repatriated thousands of its citizens from the camp. Returnees are processed through the al-Jadaa rehabilitation center near Mosul, though the program still faces public resistance due to trauma linked to ISIS's former rule.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Rudaw Net
an hour ago
- Rudaw Net
French FM speaks with SDF chief, expresses support for Syrian Kurds
Also in World KRG requested defence system from US: Official Paris to host next round of SDF-Damascus talks Israeli, Syrian officials meet in Paris US must pressure Syria to protect minority rights: USCRIF A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot spoke with Mazloum Abdi, commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), on Friday to confirm that Paris will host the next round of talks between the SDF and Damascus. Barrot also reiterated France's support for Syrian Kurds, according to the French foreign ministry. 'This exchange provided an opportunity to confirm the upcoming holding in Paris of a negotiation session between the Syrian transitional authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces with a view to implement the March 10 agreement, under the auspices of France and the United States,' read a statement from the ministry. 'The minister reiterated France's support for defining a negotiated and peaceful solution for the unification of Syria, the integration of the population of northeastern Syria into the political transition process, and the guarantee of Kurdish rights,' said the statement from the French foreign ministry. Earlier in the day, Barrot met with US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. The meeting, in which they discussed negotiations between the SDF and Damascus, was 'very frank and productive,' according to the French ministry. Abdi and Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on March 10 signed an agreement that outlines the future of the SDF and Rojava. While parts of the agreement have been implemented, key provisions - such as integrating the US-backed SDF into Syrian state forces - remain contested. Kurdish leaders have voiced concern over the centralization of power and the prominence of Islamic law in the transitional constitution adopted by Syria's interim government. They have repeatedly denied accusations of separatism and have called instead for federalism. Kurds held a national conference earlier this year, calling for decentralization. Following the conversation between Barrot and Abdi, an official from the Syrian foreign ministry told the state-run TV channel al-Ikhbariya that France has agreed to 'pressure the SDF to reach the solution desired by Syrians.' Qutaiba Idlibi, director of the American Affairs Department at the ministry, said that the scheduled meeting between the SDF and Damascus in Paris is the continuation of talks with the Kurdish-led force about their 'full integration.' In recent interviews, SDF representatives have said the force must retain its own weapons and join the Syrian army as a block. 'Handing over weapons is a red line. It is not possible to hand over weapons,' Farhad Shami, head of SDF media centre, told Syria's Alyaum TV on Wednesday. SDF spokesperson Abjar Dawoud told Saudi-based Asharq Al-Awsat on Tuesday that the SDF could join the Syrian army 'through a constitutional and legal agreement that recognizes the specificity of our forces,' adding that they refuse to 'surrender' their weapons 'in light of the increase in the pace of violence' in Suwayda province, where at least 1,300 people were killed in a week of clashes. He said it is also 'impossible' for the SDF to hand over its weapons while the Islamic State (ISIS) remains a threat to northeast Syria. An unnamed senior official from the Syrian government told al-Ikhbariya on Thursday that the SDF's demands are not acceptable.


Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Shafaq News
France's top court cancels Al-Assad arrest order
Shafaq News – Paris On Friday, France's highest court annulled an arrest warrant issued against Former Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, over his alleged role in the 2013 chemical attacks near Damascus. The Court of Cassation ruled that heads of state are immune from prosecution in foreign courts, even in cases involving alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The original order, issued in November 2023, accused Al-Assad of complicity in the sarin gas attacks that killed more than 1,000 people in the towns of Adra and Douma, according to US intelligence assessments. Court President Christophe Soulard noted that although the original warrant is no longer valid due to Al-Assad's former status, new arrest orders could now be issued following his removal from power. Al-Assad was deposed in December 2024 and fled to Russia following a military takeover led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who later assumed the role of Syria's transitional president.


Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Shafaq News
Tehran presses Europe to revise nuclear stance amid rising tensions
Shafaq News – Tehran Iran has pressed European powers to revise their approach to nuclear negotiations, following a new round of deputy-level talks in Istanbul with the so-called E3—Britain, France, and Germany—amid heightened tensions over recent Israeli and American military strikes on Iranian territory. Speaking on Friday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi said the meeting aimed to continue discussions on the future of the nuclear deal and address what he described as serious violations of international law by Israel and the United States. 'The recent aggression against Iran was a key point of contention,' he noted, adding that Tehran accused the West of failing to condemn the strikes, which it views as breaches of the UN Charter. The talks also touched on the controversial reactivation of sanctions mechanisms. According to Takht-Ravanchi, Iran firmly rejected any moves by the European trio to reimpose penalties, asserting that such steps lack legal foundation. He emphasized that Iran considers its uranium enrichment rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to be 'inalienable' and insisted that sanctions be lifted without delay. Takht-Ravanchi also disclosed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently sent a formal letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, detailing Tehran's legal position regarding the nuclear file. The letter has been officially recorded with the United Nations, he said. In a separate statement ahead of the meeting, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei described the Istanbul talks as a chance for European governments to 'correct their course' and take a more pragmatic stance. He warned that Europe's prior conduct had eroded its credibility and weakened its role at the negotiating table.