Kurdish Officials Warn of Islamic State Resurgence Amid US Aid Cuts

Kurdish officials in north-east Syria have raised alarms about a potential resurgence of ISIS as US foreign aid cuts loom, The Guardian reported. The cuts threaten essential services for tens of thousands detained in camps like al-Hol, which houses suspected IS members and their families. Blumont, a Virginia-based aid group managing al-Hol, received a stop-work order on January 24, causing panic among residents.

With humanitarian conditions already dire, camp director Jihan Hanan expressed concerns that even basic provisions like bread could halt. Rights groups have long criticized the camps for inhumane conditions, where detainees are held arbitrarily without charges.

The US military presence in the region is also under scrutiny, with fears that a withdrawal could lead to chaos and IS sleeper cells re-emerging. Human Rights Watch warned that the aid cuts exacerbate life-threatening conditions, risking further destabilization in an already precarious security environment.