Hawl Camp coordinates with Syria, Iraq to depart ISIS families
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – The administration of Hawl Camp in northeastern Syria announced on Saturday that it is coordinating with both the Syrian and Iraqi governments to facilitate the return of all displaced residents to their home regions.
In a statement to North Press, Jihan Hannan, Co-Director of Hawl Camp, said the administration continues efforts to repatriate all residents to their home countries and communities.
She emphasized that the response from the concerned nations has been nonexistent, adding that, “The Hawl Camp issue is not solely the responsibility of the Autonomous Administration—it is an international issue.”
Hannan noted that while the camp once held around 73,000 people in 2019, that number has now been reduced to approximately 35,000 through ongoing repatriation efforts.
Despite coordination with both the Syrian and Iraqi governments, she expects that a portion of the residents—especially families of ISIS members—will remain in the camp due to the refusal of some countries to repatriate their citizens.
She also warned of escalating security challenges amid a deteriorating security environment in Syria. According to Hannan, ISIS has shifted its tactics to include the smuggling of individuals out of the camp. However, she stressed that the most significant threat is not the presence of weapons or sleeper cells, but the continued spread of extremist ideology among camp residents—particularly women and children.
“The real danger lies in the radical ideas carried by children and women who have become victims of ISIS,” she said. “Tragically, these children are growing up in an environment that is entirely unsuitable.”
“This ideology is being passed down to the next generation, creating a long-term threat not only to the region, but to the world.”
Hannan confirmed that the newly launched security operation began in the section housing foreign women—referred to as the “muhajirat”—and will eventually extend to all sectors of the camp.
The statement came a day after a new security campaign was launched inside the camp. On Friday morning, the Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish), alongside the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), both operating under the umbrella of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), began a joint operation backed by the U.S.-led Global Coalition.
The operation aims to root out active ISIS sleeper cells believed to be operating within the camp.
The Hawl Camp is home to families of ISIS members, as well as Syrian and Iraqi civilians who were displaced from areas previously controlled by the extremist group prior to the fall of its final stronghold in Baghouz, Deir ez-Zor, in 2019.