Iraq at UNSC: Syria’s Al-Hol camp poses growing ISIS threat
Shafaq News– Baghdad
Iraq’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Luqman Al-Faily warned on Thursday that Syria’s Al-Hol camp, which houses large numbers of ISIS members and their families, has become a strategic threat, stressing that safeguarding ISIS detention sites is an “international responsibility” and a direct Iraqi security concern.
Addressing the UN Security Council session on Syria, Al-Faily said, “The stability of Syria is a fundamental pillar for the security of Iraq and the entire region.” He welcomed the recent understanding between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Hasakah, including steps toward integrating military and civilian institutions.
He cautioned against mounting civilian casualties and the fragility of detention facilities holding ISIS members, including camps and prisons such as Al-Shaddadi prison. “Any laxity in controlling these sites grants a terrorist organization like Daesh the opportunity to reorganize and to regroup in a manner that would threaten the security of our borders.”
Describing Al-Hol as an “imminent” danger, Al-Faily cited the collapse of Al-Shaddadi prison as proof of systemic vulnerability, pointing out that its proximity to Al-Hol amplifies the risk of rapid spillover.
“Iraq has taken a strategic and courageous decision in coordination with the International [Global] Coalition, a decision to receive terrorists of Iraqi nationality and other nationalities who were detained in prisons previously under the control of SDF,” he noted, framing the move as “a proactive step to prevent the spread of these individuals or these elements, which are considered among the tier-one leaders of the terrorist networks.” Accepting detainees whose home states refuse repatriation, he added, serves regional and global security and rejects the abandonment of responsibility.
On Wednesday, Iraqi officials and US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the transfer of an initial group of about 150 detainees, with total relocations potentially reaching around 7,000 amid renewed fighting.
Control of ISIS prisons and camps in northeastern Syria has shifted following clashes between Syrian government forces and the SDF. Thousands of fighters and affiliates remain detained in facilities such as Al-Hol, which the UN and rights groups, including Amnesty International, have long warned are overcrowded and prone to radicalization and escape attempts.
