QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Hawl Camp has transformed into an outpost for the Islamic State (ISIS) members, said Iraq’s Minister of Defense Thabet al-Abbasi on Saturday asserting that the Iraqi sovereignty is a “red line”.
Speaking in an interview with al-Arabiya, al-Abbasi urged every nation to retrieve their nationals from the Hawl camp and ensure its closure, noting that Syria’s northeastern camp has been “a significant cause for concern” for Iraq.
He added that the camp has become an outpost for ISIS activities.
On June 12, a meeting was held at the Baghdad-based al-Nahrain Center for Strategic Studies where the participants discussed Iraq’s vision regarding the Hawl Camp, and the urgency of dismantling the camp.
In the meeting, Qasim al-Araji, Iraqi National Security Advisor, called the international community to urge countries to repatriate their nationals from the camp. He also proposed holding a ministerial international conference to find a solution to close this camp.
The Iraqi government has taken back 1,369 families from the camp and enrolled them in rehabilitation programs to facilitate their reintegration into society. 800 families have successfully completed the rehabilitation process and returned to their respective hometowns.
Speaking on the Turkish military operations in northern Iraq, al-Abbasi stated, “sovereignty is a red line, and we need a political solution to address the issue of Turkish bombardment.”
“We will not allow the existence of arms outside the will and control of the state,” the Iraqi minister said.