Conference in Raqqa promotes reintegration of ISIS-linked families
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – The Raqqa Civil Council, affiliated with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), held on Tuesday a conference on the social reintegration of Syrian families linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) who have been released from Hawl Camp.
“This conference is the first of its kind in north and northeast Syria. It aims to introduce the Community Care Center, a body concerned with families who returned from Hawl Camp,” said Muhammad Nour al-Thib, Co-chair of the Raqqa Civil Council.
The conference, titled ‘Towards a More Cohesive Society’, was attended by many boards of the AANES and international and local organizations in Raqqa Governorate, northern Syria.
Al-Thib further explained that the center will comprise various offices, including the psychological support and vocational rehabilitation offices. They will play a crucial role in facilitating the smooth integration of the camp returnees into the local community, ultimately strengthening social cohesion.
He noted that the center is currently being prepared and it will be opened in the coming days, operating at full capacity.
Al-Thib added the Raqqa council is establishing of a comprehensive database of Hawl Camp returnees. “The database will classify individuals based on their place of residence, whether in the countryside or within Raqqa city.”
He emphasized the critical nature of the remaining ISIS-linked families in Hawl Camp, whether they are Syrian or foreign nationals, describing them as a “ticking time bomb” and a source of concern for the international community and the AANES. He stressed, therefore, the need for increased support from countries worldwide.
Jihad Hassan, Co-chair of Social Affairs and Labor Committee of the AANES, said, “Through our realization of the situation of families who have returned from Hawl Camp, we decided to establish the Community Care Center which will have over 10 offices concerned with the affairs of these families.”
Hassan added to North Press that the main purpose of the center is to coordinate between AANES bodies on one hand and international and local organizations operating in Raqqa on the other.
The conference’s objective is to call on international and local organizations, as well as committees affiliated with the AANES and the Raqqa Civil Council, to find solutions to the issue of families who have returned from Hawl Camp. Hassan noted that the presence of international and local organizations would enhance support and lead to strategic solutions.
Hassan urged international organizations to fulfill their duties towards families returning from the Camp, and towards AANES-held areas.