The Decline of Foreign ISIS Families in Al-Hol Camp After Change of Supervision

Humanitarian sources and eyewitnesses revealed that the majority of foreign fighters' families belonging to ISIS have left the Al-Hol camp located in eastern Syria, following the withdrawal of the Kurdish forces that were managing the camp. The sources confirmed to "France Presse" that the section designated for foreigners has become almost empty after the camp's management was transferred to the Syrian security forces in late January.

Decrease in the Number of Foreign Families

An employee of a humanitarian organization explained on Thursday that the section for foreigners now only contains a very limited number of families, indicating that only about 20 families remain in what is known as the "muhajirat" section, which was subject to strict security measures. This section includes women and children holding multiple nationalities, primarily from Russia, the Caucasus region, and Central Asian countries.

Complex Demographics Within the Camp

The Al-Hol camp was considered one of the largest camps housing families linked to ISIS, with around 24,000 residents, including approximately 15,000 Syrian displaced persons. The camp also housed about 6,300 foreign women and children from 42 different countries, amid ongoing refusal from most of their home countries to accept or repatriate them.

Rapid Security and Humanitarian Developments

These developments come at a time when the camp is witnessing administrative and security transformations, amid fears of potential humanitarian and security repercussions, especially with the ongoing international debate regarding the fate of foreign ISIS families and how to deal with them in the future.