Uncertainty grips Roj Camp after SDF withdraws from Hawl – Al-Monitor  

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Fear and uncertainty are mounting at Roj Camp in northeastern Syria after the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrew from Hawl earlier this month, paving the way for Syrian government forces to take control and heightening concerns over security, governance, and the fate of thousands of foreign women and children, a report by Al-Monitor stated on Monday.

Women detained at Roj, many of them relatives of ISIS militants, expressed anxiety over potential clashes and a possible collapse of camp security. “We are terrified and getting no answers,” said a French woman at the camp, amid reports of heightened tension after the SDF withdrew from Hawl on Jan. 20.

According to Al-Monitor, the evacuation of Hawl came amid clashes with ISIS cells in the surrounding area that killed at least four members of internal security forces. Camp officials said repeated appeals to the US-led Global Coalition for support went unanswered. “You can say we were betrayed,” Sara Hassan, a camp management official, told Al-Monitor.

At Roj, security officials warned that the developments have emboldened hardline elements. Camp security chief Hawre said some women were openly predicting a collapse of Kurdish administration, while the camp’s civilian administrator, Hikmiye Ibrahim, reported that small groups chanted pro-ISIS slogans after news from al-Hol spread.

Electricity has been cut off in Roj for two weeks due to generator failures, according to camp officials, though some residents believe the blackout is also aimed at limiting the spread of information that could spark unrest.

Despite lingering radical sentiments, the dominant mood among many detainees is fear and regret. Several women said they came to Syria believing it would offer a better future for their children, only to find themselves trapped with little hope of repatriation, as most European countries remain reluctant to take their nationals back.

Roj and Hawl camps continue to host thousands of foreign nationals, including Turks, Uyghurs, Russians, and Indonesians, amid growing uncertainty over their future as regional dynamics shift.

The original report: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/01/isis-brides-face-uncertain-future-damascus-clashes-syrias-kurds