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France 24
14-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Iraqis face difficult return from Syria camp for IS families
"All I wanted was to return to Iraq," the 64-year-old said of his time in the Kurdish-controlled al-Hol camp, where family members of suspected Islamic State group fighters are held in prison-like conditions alongside refugees and displaced people. But back home in Iraq, "I had to disown my sons. My house is gone," he said. "I am back to square one." Thousands of Iraqi returnees from the camp have faced major obstacles reintegrating into their communities, their perceived affiliation with IS casting a dark shadow over their prospects. AFP spoke to more than 15 returnees, humanitarian workers and a lawyer, most of whom requested anonymity for fear of reprisals. They described armed groups and local authorities in some areas pressuring returnees to cut ties with relatives suspected of IS links as a precondition for going home or obtaining essential documents. A lawyer for many returnees equated the pledges of disownment to denunciations, "essentially complaints by one family member against another". He also warned of a widespread misconception among returnees that they must comply in order to obtain identity cards and other government papers. But a senior Iraqi official insisted that the authorities supported reintegration, including when it came to the issuance of documents. Requesting "disownment statements has become illegal, and anyone who asks for it should be reported", the official told AFP. 'Moral error' Darwish said he was allowed to leave al-Hol after receiving Iraqi security clearance and support from his tribal leader. Back in Iraq, he spent the first several months at al-Jadaa camp, presented by the authorities as a "rehabilitation" centre where returnees wait for further permission to return home. There, "we felt the most welcome", Darwish said. But when it was time to go home to Salaheddin province, Darwish said local authorities told him he first had to disown his sons, who are locked away on suspicion of joining IS -- a charge he denies. Reluctantly, he complied. Otherwise, "how was I going to farm my land and make ends meet?" he said. In the northern city of Mosul, one woman in her thirties told AFP she was afraid to return to her hometown in Salaheddin, where her father was arrested upon his arrival and later passed away in prison. She is currently squatting with her sister and children in a dilapidated house, living in fear of eviction. When the family first returned to Iraq, she said, people "looked at us differently, just because we came from al-Hol". Now her concern is obtaining new identity cards, which are essential for accessing healthcare, education and employment, and she fears she will have to disown her husband to do so. The authorities, she said, "did well" by bringing them back from al-Hol, where many speak of increased violence, but they must now solve the issue of reintegration. "We need them to support us so we can stand on our feet," she added. Thanassis Cambanis, director of New York-based Century International, said the returnees "face a murky future", especially since some of those tarred as IS families are denied documentation. "At a minimum, collective punishment of the ISIS families is an injustice and a moral error," Cambanis warned. "At a maximum, Iraq's policy creates a ripe pool of potential recruits for violent sectarian extremists." 'Expanded support' While many countries refuse to repatriate their nationals from al-Hol, Baghdad has so far brought back around 17,000 people, mostly women and children. Local and international organisations facilitated reintegration, but their operations have been affected by US President Donald Trump's decision to cut foreign aid. The Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), a Geneva-registered organisation that focuses on preventing extremism, supports several centres that have so far assisted around 6,000 returnees. According to GCERF's Kevin Osborne, the centres provide services such as psychosocial support and vocational training. But the growing number of returnees requires "expanded support to adequately prepare communities and enable smooth, sustainable reintegration", Osborne said. Noran Mahmood, of the GCREF-supported Iraqi Institution for Development, said many returnees fear "society's refusal" to welcome them, as if having spent time in al-Hol is a "disgrace". Her organisation in Mosul provides counselling for the many returnees who suffer from depression, insomnia and anxiety. Rahaf, 24, is one of the many women receiving help after years of accumulated trauma. With the organisation's assistance, she achieved her long-held dream of furthering her education, enrolling in middle school.
Asharq Al-Awsat
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Syria's Govt and Kurds Reach Agreement on Returning Families from Notorious Camp
Kurdish authorities in northeast Syria announced Monday they have reached an agreement with the transitional government in Damascus to evacuate Syrian citizens from a sprawling camp in the desert that houses tens of thousands of people with alleged ties to the ISIS extremist group. Sheikhmous Ahmed, an official in the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country's northeast, said an agreement was reached on a 'joint mechanism' for returning the families from al-Hol camp after a meeting among local authorities, representatives of the central government in Damascus and a delegation from the US-led international coalition fighting ISIS. Ahmed denied reports that administration of the camp will be handed over to Damascus in the near future, saying 'there was no discussion in this regard with the visiting delegation or with the Damascus government." Human rights groups for years have cited poor living conditions and pervasive violence in the camp, which houses about 37,000 people, mostly wives and children of ISIS fighters, as well as supporters of the group. They also include Iraqis as well as nationals of Western countries who traveled to join ISIS. The US military has been pushing for years for countries that have citizens at al-Hol and the smaller, separate Roj Camp to repatriate them. Iraq has taken back increasing numbers of citizens in recent years, but many other countries have remained reluctant. As for Syrians housed in the camp, a mechanism has been in place for several years to return those who want to go back to their communities in the Kurdish-controlled areas, where centers have been opened to reintegrate them. Before now, however, there had not been an agreement with the government in Damascus to return them to areas under the central government's control. The new agreement comes amid attempts to increase the cooperation between Kurdish authorities and the new leaders in Damascus after former President Bashar al-Assad was unseated in an opposition offensive in December. Under a deal signed in March between Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, the SDF is to be merged into the new government armed forces. All border crossings with Iraq and Türkiye and airports and oil fields in the northeast are to come under the central government's control. Prisons where about 9,000 suspected members of the ISIS group are held are also expected to come under central government control. The deal marked a major step toward unifying the disparate factions that had carved up Syria into de facto mini-states during its civil war that began in 2011 after the brutal crackdown by Assad's government on massive anti-government protests. However, implementation has been slow. Washington has been pushing for its enactment and, in particular, for Damascus to take over management of the prisons in northeast Syria.
BreakingNews.ie
26-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Syria and Kurds agree to evacuate families from notorious refugee camp
Kurdish authorities in northeast Syria have reached an agreement with the transitional government in Damascus to evacuate Syrian citizens from a sprawling camp in the desert that houses tens of thousands of people with alleged ties to the militant Islamic State (IS) group. Sheikhmous Ahmed, an official in the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country's northeast, said an agreement was reached on a 'joint mechanism' for returning the families from al-Hol camp after a meeting among local authorities, representatives of the central government in Damascus and a delegation from the US-led international coalition fighting IS. Advertisement Mr Ahmed denied reports that the administration of the camp will be handed over to Damascus in the near future, saying 'there was no discussion in this regard with the visiting delegation or with the Damascus government'. Syria's interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa (AP/Francisco Seco) Human rights groups for years have cited poor living conditions and pervasive violence in the camp, which houses about 37,000 people, mostly wives and children of IS fighters, as well as supporters of the militant group. They also include Iraqis as well as nationals of Western countries who travelled to join IS. The US military has been pushing for years for countries that have citizens at al-Hol and the smaller, separate Roj Camp to repatriate them. Advertisement Iraq has taken back increasing numbers of citizens in recent years, but many other countries have remained reluctant. As for Syrians housed in the camp, a mechanism has been in place for several years to return those who want to go back to their communities in the Kurdish-controlled areas, where centres have been opened to reintegrate them. Before now, however, there had not been an agreement with the government in Damascus to return them to areas under the central government's control. The new agreement comes amid attempts to increase the cooperation between Kurdish authorities and the new leaders in Damascus after former president Bashar Assad was unseated in a rebel offensive in December. Advertisement Under a deal signed in March between Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF is to be merged into the new government armed forces. All border crossings with Iraq and Turkey and airports, and oil fields in the northeast are to come under the central government's control. Prisons where about 9,000 suspected members of the Islamic State group are held are also expected to come under central government control. The deal marked a major step toward unifying the disparate factions that had carved up Syria into de facto mini-states during its civil war that began in 2011 after the brutal crackdown by Mr Assad's government on massive anti-government protests. Advertisement However, implementation has been slow. Washington has been pushing for its enactment and, in particular, for Damascus to take over management of the prisons in northeast Syria.
Washington Post
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Syria's government and Kurds reach agreement on returning families from notorious camp
QAMISHLI, Syria — Kurdish authorities in northeast Syria announced Monday they have reached an agreement with the transitional government in Damascus to evacuate Syrian citizens from a sprawling camp in the desert that houses tens of thousands of people with alleged ties to the militant Islamic State group. Sheikhmous Ahmed, an official in the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country's northeast, said an agreement was reached on a 'joint mechanism' for returning the families from al-Hol camp after a meeting among local authorities, representatives of the central government in Damascus and a delegation from the U.S.-led international coalition fighting IS.
The Independent
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Syria's government and Kurds reach agreement on returning families from notorious camp
Kurdish authorities in northeast Syria announced Monday they have reached an agreement with the transitional government in Damascus to evacuate Syrian citizens from a sprawling camp in the desert that houses tens of thousands of people with alleged ties to the militant Islamic State group. Sheikhmous Ahmed, an official in the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country's northeast, said an agreement was reached on a 'joint mechanism' for returning the families from al-Hol camp after a meeting among local authorities, representatives of the central government in Damascus and a delegation from the U.S.-led international coalition fighting IS. Ahmed denied reports that administration of the camp will be handed over to Damascus in the near future, saying 'there was no discussion in this regard with the visiting delegation or with the Damascus government." Human rights groups for years have cited poor living conditions and pervasive violence in the camp, which houses about 37,000 people, mostly wives and children of IS fighters as well as supporters of the militant group. They also include Iraqis as well as nationals of Western countries who traveled to join IS. The U.S. military has been pushing for years for countries that have citizens at al-Hol and the smaller, separate Roj Camp to repatriate them. Iraq has taken back increasing numbers of citizens in recent years, but many other countries have remained reluctant. As for Syrians housed in the camp, a mechanism has been in place for several years to return those who want to go back to their communities in the Kurdish-controlled areas, where centers have been opened to reintegrate them. Before now, however, there had not been an agreement with the government in Damascus to return them to areas under the central government's control. The new agreement comes amid attempts to increase the cooperation between Kurdish authorities and the new leaders in Damascus after former President Bashar Assad was unseated in a rebel offensive in December. Under a deal signed in March between Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, the SDF is to be merged into the new government armed forces. All border crossings with Iraq and Turkey and airports and oil fields in the northeast are to come under the central government's control. Prisons where about 9,000 suspected members of the Islamic State group are held are also expected to come under central government control. The deal marked a major step toward unifying the disparate factions that had carved up Syria into de facto mini-states during its civil war that began in 2011 after the brutal crackdown by Assad's government on massive anti-government protests. However, implementation has been slow. Washington has been pushing for its enactment and, in particular, for Damascus to take over management of the prisons in northeast Syria.
