Iraqi PM Warns Against Risks of Hawl Camp in NE Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, said on Sunday that the security situation in Syria is a “challenge for Iraq,” especially due to Hawl Camp and other detention centers for militants of Islamic State (ISIS) in northeastern Syria.
Al-Sudani said, during a seminar held on the sidelines of the 59th Munich Security Conference, that detention centers in northeastern Syria “house a large number of terrorists,” according to Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Hawl Camp “includes 60.000 people, half of whom are Iraqis, and the government is returning 150 Iraqi families per month,” he added.
Regarding to the role of organizations in supporting families returning from the camp, he said that it is “modest.”
In addition, the Prime Minister hailed the repatriation operations carried out by Iraq and called on other countries to “do the same”.
Al-Sudani pointed out that “Iraq has triumphed over terrorism, and the security forces are highly competent to maintain security.”
He also stressed that “There is no need for combat forces from the International Coalition, but we need consultation, training and security exchange.”
Hawl Camp, 45 km east of the city of Hasakah, remains a hotbed for ISIS’ extremist ideology. Last year, 36 murders were reported in the camp.
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) has repeatedly called on countries to repatriate their nationals held at the camp, which number about 8.000.