Iraq to repatriate 150 ISIS families from Hawl Camp in NE Syria

A convoy of Iraqi families at al-Ya'rubiyah crossing, leaving Hawl Camp and heading to their country – North Press/Archive
A convoy of Iraqi families at al-Ya'rubiyah crossing, leaving Hawl Camp and heading to their country – North Press/Archive

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Iraq plans to bring back 150 families with connections to the Islamic State (ISIS) from the Hawl Camp in Northeast Syria next week, an Iraqi official said on Sunday.

Ali Abbas, a spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displaced, told Rudaw, an Erbil-based news website, that more than 650 individuals are expected to be repatriated.

Hawl Camp houses approximately 55,000 individuals, comprising 2,423 families with connections to ISIS militants originating from around 60 countries.

“The largest number of families that have been repatriated in one batch this year was 190,” said Abbas.

He added that now over 900 families reside in al-Jada camp in Iraq’s northern Nineveh Governorate

The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) has urged countries to repatriate their citizens who are affiliated with ISIS from Northeast Syria, but their response has been hesitant and minimal.

By Ster Youssef