Al-Hol repatriations threaten national security, Iraqi MP warns
Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Iraqi lawmaker urged the government to halt the transfer of individuals from Syria’s Al-Hol camp into Iraq, warning that many of those being repatriated are affiliated with ISIS, posing a significant threat to national security and social stability.
Sherif Suleiman, a member of Iraq’s Parliamentary Committee on Migration and Displacement and a representative of the Yazidi community, suggested that the decision to accept these individuals “is being influenced by external pressures rather than reflecting Iraq’s sovereign interests.”
“We have repeatedly called on both the previous and current governments to refuse the relocation of remaining ISIS fighters and their families from Al-Hol into Iraqi territory. Unfortunately, our concerns have gone unheeded, raising questions about who is truly making these decisions.”
Suleiman revealed that when he formally inquired with the Ministry of Migration and Displacement about whether they had received official directives to accept these transfers, officials responded that they are often caught off guard by the arrival of ISIS-linked individuals at the Iraqi border.
He pointed out that this practice was prevalent under the previous administration of Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and continues under the current leadership of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani. Suleiman accused international entities of orchestrating these transfers, further undermining Iraq’s control over its security policies.
“The transfer of ISIS families from Al-Hol into Iraq is a recurring issue, and it is likely to continue unless decisive action is taken. Iraq lacks the necessary rehabilitation institutions to effectively reintegrate these individuals. Keeping them at Al-Jada camp for a few days before releasing them into society poses a serious risk to national security and disregards the suffering of displaced communities who were victims of ISIS crimes.”
He emphasized that more than one million displaced Iraqis remain unable to return home due to the devastation caused by ISIS, yet the government continues to admit individuals from Al-Hol, many of whom have ties to the terrorist organization.
A security source in Nineveh confirmed on January 31 that Iraqi authorities had received the 20th group of families transferred from the Kurdish-run Al-Hol to Al-Jadaa camp in southern Mosul as part of an ongoing rehabilitation program. This latest batch comprised 81 families, totaling 360 individuals. According to the source, 60% of the families are originally from Nineveh, 20% from Al-Anbar, and the remaining 20% from Baghdad, Kirkuk, and Saladin.
National Security Advisor Qasim Al-Araji previously stated that, as of late 2024, Iraq had repatriated over 2,600 families with ties to ISIS from Al-Hol to Al-Jadaa camp.
The initiative is part of a broader collaboration between the Iraqi government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) aimed at addressing the humanitarian and security challenges posed by the camp’s residents.
