BÊRÎTAN SARYA

News Center- al-Hol refugee camp is one of the biggest threats like a ticking time bomb in the areas controlled by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). The camp is located 45 km east of Hasakah and the population of the camp is currently 49,069. Iraqi and Syrian refugees, who lived in the areas occupied by ISIS and were influenced by the mentality of ISIS stay in the camp. In addition, the family members of ISIS from 60 countries stay in the camp. Between 2019 and the end of 2022, 178 people were killed in the camp.

The AANES often calls the countries to repatriate their citizens; however, 907 wives of ISIS members and their children have been repatriated until now.

In the current conditions, the wives of ISIS members see the camp as an area of reorganization themselves while raising their children according to the teachings and brutal practices of ISIS. In addition, these women rape boys in the name of “religious marriage” and use these children to kill people in the camp.

The relevant countries do not fulfill their responsibilities about the families of ISIS members in the camp and they do not develop a solution for the camp while the Turkish intelligence helps the wives of ISIS members to escape from the camp through Turkey’s so-called relief organization, IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation. The United Nations and the relevant countries remain silent against the crimes committed by these women in the camp. In July, United Nations Special Rapporteur Fionnuala Ní Aoláin brought the camp on the agenda; however, she became the language of ISIS women instead of revealing the concrete truth in the camp. She did not mention the child rape by ISIS women in the camp but she criticized that boys aged 13 and over were taken from the camp to rehabilitation and education centers.

So what is the situation in al-Hol refugee camp, what has happened since the camp was built? In this article, we will try to answer these questions.

It becomes one of the biggest camps in the Middle East

Al-Hol refugee camp has become the biggest refugee camp in North and East Syria and one of the biggest camps in the Middle East. The camp was built after the Gulf War in 1991. When the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) liberated the town of al-Hol (al-Hawl) in northern Syria from ISIS, Syrians fled from the oppression of ISIS and Syrians were settled in the camp. After the liberation of Mosul from ISIS in 2016, Iraqi refugees were also settled in the camp. The wives and children of ISIS members who surrendered or were arrested were initially settled in the Roj, al-Hol and Ain Issa refugee camps. When the wives of ISIS caused many problems in these camps, they and their children were taken to the special sections of the al-Hol refugee camp.

In 2019, the SDF launched the Cizire Storm campaign and liberated the last area controlled by ISIS. After the liberation of the last area controlled by ISIS, thousands of the families of ISIS were also settled in the al-Hol camp. On October 9, 2019, Turkey launched an offensive into North and East Syria and targeted Ayn Issa refugee camp, resulting in the escape of the wives of ISIS. So, about 3,000 wives and children of ISIS were transferred to the al-Hol refugee camp.

About 50,000 people stay in six sections

Since the population of the camp dramatically increased after the Turkish offensive, the AANES paved the way for the return of Syrians, who had not carried out any terrorist actions, and sent thousands of Iraqi refugees back to their country according to the agreement with Iraq. Now, the population of the camp is 49,069.

There are six sections in the camp; Iraqi refugees stay in three sections, Syrian refugees stay in two sections and the foreign wives and children of ISIS members stay in one section. 24, 123 Iraqi refugees, 17, 459 Syrian refugees and 7, 476 wives and children of ISIS stay in the camp now. Totally, 33,000 children, 15,000 women and 1,964 men live in the camp.

There is a special section for the wives of ISIS in the camp. This section has its own doctor, center and health clinic. This section is closed to other sections.

178 people were killed in four years

The al-Hol camp, hosting tens of thousands of ISIS members and refugees impressed by the mentality of ISIS is like a ticking time bomb. ISIS women have established a “punishment” structure called “al Hisbe” in the camp.  Children are trained by the women’s structure of al-Hisbe. Women who want to leave ISIS, do not want to raise their children according to the teachings and brutal practices of ISIS have been threatened by the members of this structure. Many of them have been attacked, killed and their tents have been burned down.

Since 2019, many people have been killed in the camp. Despite the operations launched by the Internal Security Forces, dozens have been killed in the camp; 13 people were killed in 2019, 32 in 2020, 96 in 2021 and 44 people in 2022, according to the management of al-Hol camp.

Humanitarian and Security Operation

Two phases of the “Humanitarian and Security Operation” were launched in the camp against ISIS sleeper cells by the Internal Security Forces with the support of the Women’s Defense Units (YPJ), Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Anti-Terror Units (YAT) in 2021 and 2022. As part of the first phase in 2021, dozens of ISIS sleeper cells were deactivated and about 300 ISIS members were arrested.

On August 25, 2022, the second phase of the operation launched and lasted for 25 days. Two members of the Internal Security Forces lost their lives in the clash that broke out between ISIS members and the Internal Security Forces in the camp. During the phase, 226 people, including 36 women were arrested   and 25 trenches and tunnels used by ISIS members to hide their weapons were discovered. Many weapons were seized. During the operation, four women tortured by ISIS members were rescued by the YPJ fighters.

Cihan Xenan from the management of al-Hol camp told NuJINHA that no one has been killed in the camp in 2023. “Many people were killed in 2022. Thanks to the Humanitarian and Security Operation, no one has been killed in the camp in 2023. But there have been many attempts to attack. ISIS women attacked a hairdresser in the camp. They entered her tent at night and attacked her by using knives. The injured woman reported the attack the next day. ISIS women also attacked the tents of three aid organizations in the camp. They asked money from the members of the aid organizations. They also set the school tent on fire. After the operation, everything was better but now ISIS women reorganize themselves in the camp.”

907 wives and children of ISIS members repatriated from the camp

The wives and children of ISIS members from 60 countries stay in the camp. Until now, 36 countries have repatriated 907 wives and children of ISIS members, according to the management of al-Hol camp. In 2018, Tunisia repatriated a woman and a child. In 2019, 100 children and 57 women were repatriated from the camp; 22 children and eight women in 2020, 112 children and 58 women in 2021, 272 children and 84 women in 2022 and 146 children and 46 women in the first seven months of 2023.