Official says Hawl Camp closure leaves residents without jobs
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – The closure of Hawl Camp in Hasakah countryside, northeastern Syria, has had a significant economic impact on residents of the surrounding area, leaving many without work, a local official said on Wednesday.
Hawl District Director Mahmoud Ahmad al-Khader told North Press that many residents had been employed at the camp in a range of roles with international and United Nations organizations, as well as with the camp administration as guards and administrative staff.
“A considerable number of local residents worked at the camp, and after its closure they all became unemployed,” he said.
Al-Khader added that a large portion of the camp is located on privately owned land that has not yet been returned to its owners.
He said the main challenges facing the area include the continued closure of several roads and the failure to return privately owned land.
He noted that roads leading to the town center, including the main road linking Hawl with the southern and southwestern countryside, remain closed because of checkpoints at the camp’s entrances and exits.