Security forces thwart second escape attempt by ISIS women in NE Syria’s Hawl Camp
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – On Tuesday, the Kurdish-led Internal Security Forces [Asayish], in cooperation with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), thwarted an escape attempt in which a group of women from ISIS families tried to flee with their children from Hawl Camp, east of Syria’s Hasakah.
The camp, which has witnessed similar attempts over the past few months, contains thousands of families, including some 10,000 people who live in a section designated for the families of foreign ISIS members.
Three of the women who were arrested are from Russia, while the fourth is of Tunisian origin and holds Austrian citizenship.
The escape attempt was in a separate section of the camp known as the Section of Foreigners or “Muhajirat Women” through trenches dug earlier to curb smuggling operations.
Marhaba Murad, from the Russian capital Moscow, tried to escape, and told North Press that she did not know the smugglers who were waiting for them outside the camp.
She added that one of the “sisters” told her that there was a way out of the camp at one o’clock at night, and then to Idlib, without giving any further details.
Murad entered Syria via Turkey five years ago with her husband Vanil Ramadan, and moved from Raqqa to Mayadin and then on to Baghouz. Her husband was killed in one of the battles in Raqqa, as she added.
On Friday, five women from ISIS families tried to flee with their children from Hawl Camp, east of Syria’s Hasakah; four were from the Russian Federation, while the fifth was from Tajikistan.
The Asayish thwarted the escape attempt and arrested the women.
Hassba Munzer, from Graz, Austria, said that she followed her husband, Jihad Tashirk, of Turkish origin, to Syria in 2015 and entered Syria via Turkey through the Jarabulus border crossing.
Hassba was able to buy a phone when she first came to the camp. “I received a phone call from one of the sisters; she talked to me in Arabic and asked me to get out of the camp through the trench, where a smuggler was waiting for me.”
Hassba moved between different cities and regions of Syria, from Raqqa to Mayadin, to Omar field, Abu Hamam, and Bahra, to Baghouz in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor.
The Austrian of Tunisian origin indicated that she is in constant contact with her family and friends in Austria via phone. “A year ago I received a message from VHO, the Austrian organization. They asked me whether I would like to go back to Austria with my son…I sent them photos of me and my son, to make the passports, but nothing has happened yet.”
The Austrian ISIS woman called on her country’s government to return her to Austria, and said that she had come to Syria to meet her husband, who was killed in an ISIS prison.
An administrator from the Asayish in the camp, who only identified himself as “Agid,” said is a previous statement that ISIS sleeper cells “are still active in the camp.”
He added, “There are almost daily killings carried out by the sleeper cells, in addition to many attempts to escape.”
One of the smuggling methods that have become known is to “hide inside water tankers.”
During the past period, many such attempts have been thwarted, according to the security services.
However, Agid said that the security forces were unable to thwart some escape attempts through the mounds or trenches that were built on the outskirts of the camp.
The story of Noryano Qorvanova, a mother of two from Russian Republic of Dagestan, did not differ from Hassba’s. She received a call from unknown woman.
Qorvanova arrived in Syria with her husband, who was killed by ISIS member, via Turkey, then moved between Raqqa, Mayadin, and then Hajin, until she reached the town of Baghouz before ending up in Hawl Camp.
Qorvanova said that she had contacted her family, who told her that the Dagestani government would return her to the country, but that she had to wait a while because the government is trying to get the orphan children back first.