Iraq to repatriate nearly 600 people from al-Hol camp in Syria

Iraq is set to repatriate around 600 people from northeast Syria’s (Rojava) al-Hol camp that houses tens of thousands of Islamic State (ISIS) affiliates, an official from Iraq’s ministry of migration and displaced said on Sunday. 

“A number of Iraqis in al-Hol camp are scheduled to be returned next week. The returnees will be about 150 families and about 600 people,” Ali Abbas, spokesperson for Iraq’s ministry of migration and displaced, told Rudaw media network.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) arrested thousands of ISIS fighters along with their wives and children when they took control of the group’s last stronghold in Syria in March 2019. Many of these people were taken to al-Hol and Roj camps. 

Iraq has repatriated 1,924 families from al-Hol camp, totaling 7,556 people. Of that number, 1,230 people have returned to their hometowns in Iraq, National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji said at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Saturday.