New batch of Syrian displaced leaves Hawl Camp to Syria’s Deir ez-Zor
HAWL, Syria (North Press)- On Tuesday, a new batch of Syrian families left Hawl camp, returning to the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, while preparations continue to take another batch to the areas of Raqqa.
The batch included 91 families, with a total of 356 people, constituting the sixth batch since the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) launched its initiative to empty the camp of displaced Syrians.
“Things in the camp were okay, and we want to return to our area because there is no work in the camp,” said Lamia al-Sha’er, a displaced woman who returns to her hometown of Sousah.
Al-Sha’er’s family consists of seven people who arrived at the camp nearly three years ago, after large parts of their home were destroyed.
“We will return to our area to live in a house that one of our relatives has secured, until our situation improves,” the displaced woman added in a tone of joy.
Autonomous Administration had previously expelled 30 batches of displaced Syrians, whose number reached about six thousand people, under tribal guarantees.
Saida al-Jasem, of Dweir area in Deir ez-Zor countryside, is preparing to return with her daughter and grandson, leaving her children in the camp, as they work there.
Al-Jasem and her family were evacuated from their home in the west of the Euphrates as a result of the government air strikes three years ago.
She said that they sought refuge in the Grennige region, east of the Euphrates, for a period of three months, after which they moved in several areas before reaching the camp.
She added that the conditions in the camp were acceptable, but they now longed for their area and wanted to return, as their home is still intact as it was.
Jaber Mustafa, Relations Office at Hawl Camp Administration, said that preparations are underway to take out a seventh batch of IDPs of Raqqa.
He added that the camp administration now provides many facilities with regard to the documents that the displaced must present to leave the camp.
Mustafa also indicated that there are difficulties in securing the identification documents of some who wish to leave, as every displaced person is required to present identity cards, family registration book, marriage contract, etc.
Sheikhmous Ahmad, Head of the office of Displaced Persons and Refugees in the Autonomous Administration, had previously told North Press that the new mechanism for evacuating the displaced depends on the submission of official documents and proofs.
Hawl camp houses more than 64 thousand people, including thousands of women and children from ISIS militants.
The Office of Displaced Persons and Refugees in the Autonomous Administration estimates the number of Syrians in it at about 23,000, the majority of whom are children.