Escalating Security Fears: Al-Hol Camp Residents Plead for Permanent Solution

Escalating Security Fears: Al-Hol Camp Residents Plead for Permanent Solution
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Residents of the city of Al-Hol in the Jazira region are voicing increasing alarm over the severe security and humanitarian risks posed by the proximity of the Al-Hol camp, labeling it a “ticking time bomb” that endangers the stability of the entire area. They assert that the massive camp has become a fertile ground for ISIS sleeper cells attempting to revive extremist ideologies and orchestrate smuggling operations that directly threaten local communities.

Local residents are urgently calling on the United Nations, international organizations, and relevant authorities to find a swift and permanent solution. Their demands center on either the repatriation of foreign ISIS families to their countries of origin or the relocation of the camp to an area far removed from civilian population centers to alleviate the persistent anxiety.

The Al-Hol camp, situated 45 km east of Hasaka near the Syrian-Iraqi border, represents one of the most complex issues in North and East Syria. Initially established for Iraqi refugees in the 1990s, its population swelled dramatically after the fall of ISIS’s final stronghold in Baghuz in 2019, turning it into a repository for displaced Syrians and an estimated 26,539 individuals, including 6,352 foreign nationals and 4,933 Iraqis, most of whom are women and children linked to the militant group.

The internal security forces, supported by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the International Coalition, recently concluded the two-day “Humanity and Security” Operation (Phase Four) inside the camp, which commenced on September 5th. This operation successfully dismantled active terror networks, leading to the arrest of 11 ISIS elements and the thwarting of planned attacks on essential service and humanitarian facilities.

Despite these ongoing security sweeps, the people of Al-Hol emphasize that the status quo is unsustainable. They warn that without a fundamental, long-term solution—such as full repatriation—the camp risks becoming a permanent extremist hotbed, guaranteeing continued insecurity for the region. The community stresses that any delay only compounds the security challenges and undermines the broader efforts toward stability.