Basic services have returned to normal operations at the al-Hol camp in northeast Syria, which houses thousands of women and children linked to the Islamic State group. This follows the Syrian government's recent capture of the facility from Kurdish fighters, according to United Nations officials.
Government Forces Assume Control of Camp
Forces representing Syria's central government captured the al-Hol camp on January 21 during a weeks-long offensive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF, which had been running the camp near the Iraqi border for approximately a decade, had previously received backing from the United States. A ceasefire agreement has since brought an end to the active fighting in the area.
UN Confirms Service Restoration
Celine Schmitt, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency UNHCR, confirmed to The Associated Press that service interruptions lasted for just two days during the fighting around the camp. "A UNHCR team visited the recaptured camp to establish very quickly the delivery of basic services, humanitarian services," Schmitt stated from Damascus, noting this included access to health centres.
Schmitt reported that by January 23, authorities were able to deliver bread and water inside the camp. She described the overall situation at al-Hol as calm, with some humanitarian actors distributing food parcels. The government has appointed a new administrator to oversee camp operations.
Camp Population and Conditions
The al-Hol camp reached its peak population of approximately 73,000 people following the defeat of IS in Syria in 2019. Since that time, the number has declined to about 24,000 residents as some countries have repatriated their citizens. The current population includes:
- 14,500 Syrians
- Nearly 3,000 Iraqis
- About 6,500 from other nationalities held in a highly secured section
Most residents are children and women, including many wives or widows of IS members. While not technically prisoners and mostly not accused of crimes, they have been held in de facto detention at the heavily guarded facility.
Medical Services and Shortages
Amal al-Hussein of the Syria Alyamama Foundation humanitarian group told AP that all clinics in the camp's medical facility are operating 24 hours daily, treating up to 150 children and 100 women each day. Over the past ten days, there have been five natural births within the camp, with cesarean cases referred to hospitals in Deir el-Zour province or al-Hol town.
However, significant shortages persist, particularly of baby formula, diapers, and adult diapers. Residents also report ongoing food shortages and concerns about children's education.
Resident Perspectives and Challenges
Safiya Suleiman, originally from Mayadeen in eastern Syria, has lived in the camp with her six children for eight years. "We want clothes for the children, as well as canned food, vegetables and fruits," she said from her tent. "Since one month we haven't had anything yet," she added, referring to vegetables and fruits that remain too expensive for most residents.
Mariam al-Issa, from the northern Syrian town of Safira, expressed similar concerns about living conditions. "Because of the financial conditions we cannot live well," she explained. "The food basket includes lentils but the children don't like to eat it any more. The children crave everything." She noted that camp food primarily consists of bread and water, adding "It has been a month since we didn't have a decent meal."
Broader Regional Context
While thousands of Syrians and Iraqis have returned to their homes in recent years, many find destroyed properties and limited employment opportunities. Most Syrians continue to live in poverty as a result of the conflict that began in March 2011.
Schmitt emphasised the need for investment to support returning populations. "They need to get support in order to have a house, to be able to rebuild a house in order to have an income," she stated. "Investments to respond and to overcome the huge material challenges people face when they return home."
Meanwhile, the United States last month began transferring some of the 9,000 IS members from jails in northeast Syria to Iraq, where Baghdad has committed to prosecuting transferred detainees. No permanent solution has yet been announced for al-Hol camp or the similar Roj camp facility.
