Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), visited Syria on Thursday to assess efforts to combat ISIS and address regional challenges, CENTCOM said in a statement on Friday.
During the visit, Gen. Kurilla toured the Al-Hol displacement camp in northeastern Syria, which houses over 43,000 displaced individuals, including those linked to ISIS. He emphasized the significant risk posed by the camps if international efforts to repatriate, rehabilitate, and reintegrate residents are not prioritized.
Gen. Kurilla described the 9,000 ISIS detainees held in SDF-guarded facilities across Syria as a “literal and figurative ‘ISIS Army’ in detention.” Al-Hol camp, initially housing over 50,000 people, remains a hub of humanitarian and security concerns. Recent investigations uncovered Yazidis abducted during the Sinjar genocide hidden within the camp, prompting rescue efforts.
