Latest news with #Yazidis
Rudaw Net
30 minutes ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
US repatriates child from Rojava ISIS detention camp
Also in Syria UN Envoy urges reforms in Syria's political transition, compromise in SDF-Damascus talks Two Kurdish forces, one civilian injured in motorcycle attack in Rojava Most abducted Yazidis held in Syria amid Damascus inaction: Rescue office Bedouin families forced to leave Suwayda despite years of peaceful coexistence A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An American child who spent their entire life inside a displacement camp for individuals linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) in northeast Syria (Rojava) was brought home last week, the State Department announced Tuesday, urging other countries to follow suit for their nationals. 'Last week the United States repatriated a U.S. citizen minor from a displaced persons camp in northeast Syria for unification with the child's family,' the State Department said in a statement.'Our interagency efforts have given this child, who has known nothing of life outside of the camps, a future free from the influence and dangers of ISIS terrorism.' Thousands of individuals with suspected ISIS ties are held in al-Hol and Roj camps, both located in Rojava's Hasaka province and controlled by the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Al-Hol is the larger of the two, housing 34,927 people as of April. Of these, 15,681 were Iraqis, 15,861 Syrians, and 6,385 foreigners, according to data obtained by Rudaw English. The SDF serves as the de facto military of Rojava and is the main local partner of the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition. Around 30,000 people from over 70 countries remain in the two camps, most of them children under the age of 12, the State Department said, stressing that 'they deserve a chance at life outside the camps.' Al-Hol has become notorious for its poor conditions and has been described as a breeding ground for terrorism. Since ISIS's territorial defeat in 2019, tens of thousands of people linked to the group - mostly Iraqis and Syrians - have been held there, alongside others from across the world who traveled to join the jihadists' so-called caliphate. Iraq has been repatriating its citizens from the camps in groups and providing rehabilitation. Many other countries, however, remain reluctant to take back their nationals over fears of extremist ideology spreading at home. 'The only durable solution to the humanitarian and security crisis in these displaced persons camps in northeast Syria is for countries of origin to repatriate, rehabilitate, reintegrate, and where appropriate, ensure accountability for their nationals,' the State Department said. The same applies to former ISIS fighters held in detention centers in Rojava, Washington added, urging countries 'not to look to others to solve the problem for them,' and to share responsibility for repatriation efforts. Iraq plans to host a conference in Geneva in September to encourage more countries to repatriate their citizens from the camps, the country's national security advisor announced last month. Rojava and US officials have repeatedly called on foreign governments to take responsibility for their nationals still stranded in the camps.
Rudaw Net
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
UN Envoy urges reforms in Syria's political transition, compromise in SDF-Damascus talks
Also in Syria Two Kurdish forces, one civilian injured in motorcycle attack in Rojava Most abducted Yazidis held in Syria amid Damascus inaction: Rescue office Bedouin families forced to leave Suwayda despite years of peaceful coexistence Syria agrees to further talks with Israel, state media reports A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - United Nations Special Envoy for Syria is urging 'major course corrections' in Damascus's political transition and security strategy following the recent outbreak of sectarian and intercommunal violence. Geir Pedersen also highlighted growing frustration in both Damascus and northeast Syria (Rojava) over delays in implementing a landmark agreement aimed at integrating civil and military institutions in the Kurdish-led region. Speaking at a UN Security Council session on Monday, Pedersen warned that 'Syria's transition has been rocked this past month by violence and escalation that led to mass casualties, drained trust, and created more dangers of fragmentation.' The UN envoy was referring to the deadly clashes that erupted on July 13 in Syria's southern Druze-majority Suwayda province. According to the envoy, the violence began with "mutual kidnappings" between Druze groups and Bedouin tribes, quickly escalating into armed conflict. Government security forces deployed to de-escalate the situation were reportedly 'attacked' by Druze groups, while Pedersen also noted 'extremely grave reports of serious violations by security forces against Druze civilians.' Documented abuses included 'extrajudicial executions, degrading treatment, desecration of corpses, looting, and destruction of property.' Pedersen reported 'hundreds of casualties and injuries among security forces, Druze fighters, and most tragically, civilians,' and that Israeli airstrikes further complicated the situation, causing additional civilian and military casualties. Of note, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported a death toll of 1,120 by July 20 from the Suwayda violence. A fragile ceasefire is currently in place, but 'the situation remains tense and volatile,' with approximately 175,000 people displaced, the UN official said. Sectarian abductions Critically, Pedersen expressed alarm over 'reports of abductions of Druze women' following the deployment of security forces, and drew parallels with earlier incidents involving Alawite women in western Syria. In early March, violence broke out in the Alawite-majority coastal regions after loyalists of ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad attacked security forces aligned with Syria's interim leadership. SOHR then-reported about 1,700 deaths - mostly Alawite civilians - with many casualties attributed to government or pro-government forces. In response, Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in early March ordered the creation of an 'independent national committee' to investigate the violence. The committee's report, released last week, confirmed 1,426 deaths and identified 298 suspects involved in the abuses, including six former Assad regime operatives. However, the Supreme Alawite Council rejected the findings as an 'impudent play' and called for a UN-supervised investigation instead. Pedersen on Monday urged Damascus to publish the committee's report to 'ensure justice for victims and accountability for all perpetrators,' adding that 'major course corrections on security and the political transition are needed' while stressing that 'a fragmented security architecture, filled with militias and lacking clear command, cannot sustain peace.' Decentralization vs. centralization Pedersen also voiced concern over the slow pace and lack of inclusivity in Syria's political transition, warning that fears around 'centralized power, limited transparency, and weak checks and balances' could further erode trust in the process. He emphasized that the new legislature, expected to be formed in September, must include 'all major Syrian groups and components.' A key element of that transition is the early March agreement signed between interim President Sharaa and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) chief Mazloum Abdi to integrate all civil and military institutions in northeast Syria (Rojava) under the administration of the Syrian state. While negotiations are ongoing, senior officials from the Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) last week told Rudaw that differing interpretations of the term "integration" remain a major hurdle. Rojava advocates for mutual recognition and a decentralized, democratic Syria that guarantees regional autonomy, while Damascus favors a more centralized system. For his part, Pedersen acknowledged the ongoing "difficulties" in implementing the Abdi-Sharaa agreement, urging both sides to make compromises and "build trust and confidence" to achieve their shared goal of implementing the agreement by year-end. He also noted preparations are underway for a high-level meeting in Paris aimed at advancing the talks. Of note, SDF chief Abdi on Tuesday stated that communication channels with the Syrian government are open daily, expressing approval of "the unity of Syria with one army and one flag" and the centralization of some sovereign institutions in Damascus. Speaking to the state-owned Saudi al-Arabiya channel he emphasized that the SDF aims to "become part of a new Syrian army" through a political solution that guarantees their constitutional rights. In a statement on X, US Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack was quick to praise Abdi's leadership as 'pivotal to a stable Syria of 'one army, one government, one state,'' and described the dialogue between the SDF and Damascus as 'constructive.'
Rudaw Net
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Two Kurdish forces, one civilian injured in motorcycle attack in Rojava
Also in Syria UN Envoy urges reforms in Syria's political transition, compromise in SDF-Damascus talks Most abducted Yazidis held in Syria amid Damascus inaction: Rescue office Bedouin families forced to leave Suwayda despite years of peaceful coexistence Syria agrees to further talks with Israel, state media reports A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led Internal Security Forces (Asayish) in northeast Syria (Rojava) stated that two of their members and a civilian were injured in a motorcycle attack in Raqqa province. In a Monday statement, the Asayish said the attack occurred in the evening that day in al-Mansoura city, in the eastern part of al-Tabqa district. 'Two assailants riding a motorcycle carried out the treacherous attack targeting two members of our forces' using Klashnikov rifles, the statement said. Tabqa is located roughly 40 kilometers southeast of Raqqa city and is under the control of the Kurdish-led administration in Rojava. "The cowardly assault resulted in the injury of two of our forces, as well as a civilian who happened to be at the location at the moment of targeting," the statement added without explicitly naming the side behind the attack. The attack follows a series of recent assaults on Kurdish-led forces in the region. Earlier in July, the Asayish reported that five of their members were killed and two others were injured in an attack they attributed to 'terrorist groups.' On the same day, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said the attack was carried out by an Islamic State (ISIS) cell. SOHR added that since the beginning of 2025, it has 'documented 126 ISIS operations' in areas administered by the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES). 'These operations included armed assaults, targeted killings and bombings,' resulting in the deaths of 51 individuals - 34 fighters from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), nine civilians, and eight ISIS members. The US-backed SDF was instrumental in defeating ISIS in 2019 and capturing thousands of the group's fighters. The force continues to operate in coordination with hundreds of US troops as part of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Both the SDF and Asayish are also primarily responsible for securing the Roj and al-Hol camps in Rojava, which house thousands of individuals suspected of ISIS ties. Since its territorial defeat in 2019, ISIS has been trying to regain its strength. However, it ramped up its efforts particularly after a coalition of opposition groups, led by the now-dissolved Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), in early December toppled the regime of longtime Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
Shafaq News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
German court rejects Yazidi family's asylum appeal
Shafaq News – Berlin On Tuesday, a German administrative court in Potsdam rejected the asylum appeal of a Yazidi family recently deported to Iraq, despite the presence of four underage children among its members. The case stems from a 2023 lawsuit filed by the family after Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees denied their asylum application. The court adjusted the grounds for rejection from 'apparently unfounded' to simply 'unfounded,' without clarifying how this affected the family's legal position. The family had lived in the town of Lychen for several years before being deported last week, even after filing an emergency motion to stop the removal. Although a court later annulled the deportation order, the ruling was issued while the family was already aboard a flight to Baghdad, making intervention impossible. A court spokesperson explained that the rejection was based on the lack of an individual threat—such as direct persecution by ISIS or widespread violence against Yazidis—thus weakening the justification for international protection. A subsequent urgent motion to block the deportation was also denied, making the removal legally binding, according to DW. The family's lawyer now has 30 days to appeal the decision before the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin–Brandenburg. Brandenburg's Interior Minister Michael Stübgen stated he would facilitate the family's return in coordination with the federal government if the court eventually rules in their favor.
Rudaw Net
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Most abducted Yazidis held in Syria amid Damascus inaction: Rescue office
Also in Syria Bedouin families forced to leave Suwayda despite years of peaceful coexistence Syria agrees to further talks with Israel, state media reports US citizen recounts 'terrorizing' days in Suwayda during clashes ISIS carries out three attacks on SDF in Deir ez-Zor A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The majority of Yazidis kidnapped by the Islamic State (ISIS) during its 2014 offensive in Iraq are currently being held in Syria, a senior official from the Office for Rescuing Abducted Yazidis - operating under the Kurdistan Region Presidency - told Rudaw, adding that 'no assistance' has provided by the new leadership in Damascus to facilitate the rescue of victims. Speaking to Rudaw during a program aired on Monday, Hussein Qaidi, head of the Office, said, 'We do not wish to disclose the names of all the countries where we have information about the presence of the kidnapped' Yazidis, but 'Syria - specifically northeastern Syria [Rojava] - is at the top of the list.' In June 2014, ISIS seized vast swaths of northern and western Iraq. Two months later, it launched a brutal assault on the Yazidis' ancestral homeland of Shingal (Sinjar), killing between 5,000 and 10,000 Yazidi men and elderly women. The group also abducted approximately 6,000 to 7,000 women and girls, subjecting them to sexual slavery and human trafficking. Around 400,000 Yazidis were displaced, most of whom sought refuge in the Kurdistan Region. Qaidi stated that many of the abductees are believed to be held in the notorious al-Hol camp in Rojava's Hasaka province. As of April, the notorious camp housed 34,927 people, many of whom have suspected ISIS affiliations, according to data obtained by Rudaw English. The camp is administered by the Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), with security provided by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Rojava's de facto army. However, Qaidi highlighted the limited coordination between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the SDF regarding rescue operations. He also criticized the new leadership in Damascus, noting that it provides 'no assistance in identifying the whereabouts of abducted Yazidis' or in 'rescuing and returning' them. Since its establishment, the Office for Rescuing Abducted Yazidis - affiliated with the office of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani - has 'succeeded in rescuing 3,590 Yazidis' from ISIS captivity, Qaidi said. However, he stressed that the crisis is far from over. He recalled the harrowing case of one young Yazidi survivor who had been sold and enslaved by more than ten men, some two to seven times her age. 'She faced sexual assault at such a young age that she didn't even understand what was being done to her or what sexual assault meant,' he said. 'This particular case still haunts me.' On Monday, marking the 11th anniversary of the Yazidi genocide, President Barzani asserted the Kurdistan Region's continued commitment to the cause of the Yazidi people, pledging that the Office will persist in its mission 'as long as there remains even one Yazidi abductee still in captivity.' Rebwar Ali contributed to this article.
